In the early 1980's four British women want to improve their lot in life. Stephanie (Sophie Rundle) wonders how to make ends meet when her husband loses his job, while her friend Nita (Angela Griffin) tries to keep her teenage son out of trouble. Pauline (Penelope Wilton) is a bored and lonely housewife and Dawn (Sharon Rooney) yearns to escape her toxic family.

When Stephanie and Nita answer an ad for a sales job selling exotic lingerie and other "marital aids", they kick off a sexual revolution in their community. As their business grows, they become savvy professional women, gaining confidence, forging unlikely friendships and scandalising the town. But their newfound independence comes at a price as they wrestle with the pressures of husbands, family and a changing society.