All fur coat and no knickers

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Meaning

Showily impressive on the surface but lacking substance, taste or the expected basics underneath. Informal, vivid and potentially insulting. Earlier uses often carried class-based or sexual judgement, so applying it to a person can sound derogatory. Regional use: United Kingdom, especially associated with northern England.

Origin

The expression is documented in British use from the 1970s and is often associated with northern England, including the North East. Its exact place and circumstances of coinage are not established. The contrast between an expensive outer garment and absent underwear supplies the joke; more elaborate origin stories are unnecessary and unproved.

Variants

  • Fur coat and no knickers
  • All fur and no knickers
  • All fur coat, no knickers

Usage Examples

  • The refurbished hotel was all fur coat and no knickers: marble in reception, broken locks upstairs.
  • His proposal is fur coat and no knickers, with glossy diagrams but no budget.

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