High street giant M&S has found itself at the centre of criticism over the name of a pair of £39.50 jeans worn by their ambassador, Holly Willoughby, in a recent photoshoot.
Marks & Spencer posted pictures on Facebook of the This Morning host wearing the jeans and a pink jumper with the words "Mon Amour" printed on the front, but the style of the denim left some shoppers baffled - as the retailer had labelled them "mom jeans".
Alongside the photos, M&S wrote : "Holly Willoughby’s amour? Our classic mom jeans, with an effortlessly flattering fit that will never go out of style."
Get the news you want straight to your inbox. Sign up for a Mirror newsletter here.
The post may seem innocent enough, but the name of the jeans sparked debate from mums in the comments of the post, with many of them confused by the decision for the British retailer to use what many described as an "Americanised" spelling of the word "mum".
One person said: "So who are mom jeans designed to fit? Mums?"
While another added: "'Mom' jeans?"
Some commenters were quick to point out that "mom jeans" simply signify the style of the denim and insisted the name was not made up by M&S - but others were having none of it.
One person defended the retailer by saying: "It's a universally accepted name for the style although they were originally invented in the US."
But someone hit back: "It may be accepted but it is horrible isn't it?"
And another stated: "Yeah, I get that it's a style. Just don't get why the Americanised spelling."
To which someone else replied: "Because that’s how it is. And it’s not Americanised - lots of countries use ‘mom’. It’s not something made up by M&S either."
There were even comments from people who noted that 'mom' is in fact used in parks of the UK, especially in areas such as Birmingham.
And while some shoppers were busy arguing over the name of the jeans in the comments, others set out to praise the jeans for being "comfortable and flattering".
One person wrote: "Mom Jeans are great! Especially for those of us with adequate bottoms. They are comfortable and flattering. High waisted to accentuate a waistline. Well Done M&S and Holly!!!"
While another said: "Love the mum jeans in summer with sandals. So comfortable and stay in place."
Do you have a story to sell? Get in touch with us at yourmirror@trinitymirror.com .
