How do I "tactfully" ; tell him? (Light hearted!)

you could say ' I think that shirt has shrunk in the wash'

No, Wibby I do the washing, and he's had that shirt for some time!

I see you go for the subtle approach phoenix

Nothing else for it but salads and fruit all round for a while. Or you could just leave it and hope things get back to normal before he has to buy XL clothing. Pass the chocs please.

Tell him the lockdown means you can’t get enough food and he’s on short rations for the foreseeable.

Have you been baking delicious lockdown recipes Phoenix as many people have? Homemade goodies are known to increase the waistline. ?

Who does the grocery shop? Could you cut down on the fatty/sugary/snacks things so there’s nothing much in the cupboard to tempt him? More celery and carrot sticks in the fridge, that sort of approach?

He could be supremely happy at the moment and like his new shape, in which case he needs a bit of retail therapy for new shirts ?

Do you have a profile full body photo when he was slim and svelte? If so I suggest a new profile photo and proudly display the two side by side. If that doesn’t do it .

Makes him more cuddly Phoenix. Think there are many of us fighting the flab during lockdown.

If he gets any weightier use your subtle approach.

Or you could join him and develop a matching tum?

Hmm, to try to respond to the posts so far:

He already wears X L shirts (well, the Cotton Traders non iron ones I bought him )

The shopping is done by him, as I have COPD (see previous threads re the interchangeable properties of leeks and cauliflower

Yes, I have been doing more cooking, but definitely NOT cakes etc, which he wouldn't eat anyway.

Sadly no photos of him as slim and svelte. We met in 2001, and he was well built (NOT FAT!) then. If he ever was slim and svelte, it was before he met me!

sodapop! "Salad & fruit all round"

But I really look forward to my double choc ice cream after supper, can't give that up, supporting the local shop plus the local dairy that makes it!

Mr P doesn't eat ice cream, cake, biscuits, puddings etc, so someone in the household has to do their bit! ?

Hmm, time to turn to online shopping? I’m sure you’ll find multiple recipes for leeks and cauliflowers on t’internet.

Or how about taking in the seams on his shirts so they’re even tighter? That might give him a fright!

Oh SueDonim, and I thought we were on the same wavelength!

Online shopping restricts quantities of some items that I consider essential!

You mention "taking in the seams on his shirts" Do you realise that you are addressing someone who expects a standing ovation for sewing a button on?

Just use a stapler on the seams, Phoenix. We have to improvise nowadays!

How about two food deliveries? His n hers?

I can let you have some wundaweb if that would help though it does require an iron. I found I have copious amounts when going through the sideboard cupboard. I used it all the time til I discovered the dry cleaners also offer a sewing service.

I sympathise with Mr P as I seem to be suffering from this problem!! I think clothes are clearly not sized properly these days and old clothes have simply shrunk during the past few months!! There can be no other explanation!!!???

,SueDonim are you having a laugh? Can't get a Sainsbury's delivery despite having both of the letters! Although, at first thought the stapler could have been a possibility, he would only start moaning that I had made the washing scratchy.

Kamiso that's a kind offer, thank you. However it would involve ironing, which I have decided is against my religion.

I have recently converted to the church of ALAICGAW, or "as little as I can get away with"

Please see also "My default setting"

I think I see where you are going wrong Phoenix - I understand (from Facebook so it must be true) that during the lockdown you have to regularly remove clothes from the cupboards and leave them in the sun or the virus makes them shrink. I haven't been doing this and all my clothes seem to be smaller now

You need to get up in the wee small hours to grab a slot, Phoenix. There’ve been no slots available to us even though Dh is vulnerable category (probably because Scotland’s made a pig’s ear of that system), However, in the last week a few possibilities have become available, just sporadically here and there. I’m hoping for one early next week.

On the subject of Mr P’s shirts - order him new ones - in a smaller size!

My husband is the same - he's been off for 10 weeks now (furloughed) and has got a gut. I can't say anything though, as I'm too fat. We both joke that our washer must have shrunk the clothes.

He doesn't need any new shirts, when there was an offer on the soft touch ones (which I have found don't need ironing, providing you take them out of the machine once the cycle has finished and bung carefully place them on hangers) I sort of stocked up in various colours and patterns.

He appeared in raspberry crush today. I raised an eyebrow at the fact it seemed to be "teamed" with (as the stylists say) navy, red and white striped socks now add that to the paint stained trousers, and you get an idea of his dress sense!

Well I had the same problem with himself over Christmas - he was eating and drinking like there was no tomorrow and developed a real tum, which was made even worse as we went on holiday for New Year and he indulged even more. He was a right porker. I took some photos of him whilst on holiday, and when he saw them he was not impressed (neither was I!). He went on a diet when we came home and to date has lost nearly three stone! Trouble is, he has become obsessed with healthy eating and keeps giving me disapproving looks ever time I eat a chocolate biscuit ? So phoenix maybe take some photos of him looking a bug*er and when he sees them he might just get the hint!

Raspberry crush? Are you married to Michael Portillo, who surely must also be Mr P!

Oh heavens!

Must check the actual "name" of the shirt, but it's definitely on the raspberry shade chart!

Definitely NOT married to Michael Portillo, sure I would have noticed.

Okay, Mrs Portillo. ?