M:PT - May in Review

We did it! For May’s Mission: Put Together project, 35 members of the pool posted 378 pictures, and I must make the obvious conclusion that there is a whole lot of put-togetherness going around the internet. Well done, all! As an appropriate wrap-up to a fantastic month, I present the following report.

As of 6pm Eastern time on Sunday, June 1, these 378 pictures generated these statistics:

Views:

• Total: 34,409
• Average views per picture: 91.03 (SD=55.54)

Comments:

• Total: 2,895
• Average comments per picture: 7.66 (SD=3.89)

Read that one more time and let your mind be boggled, as mine was and still is. Over thirty-four thousand views! Over twenty-eight hundred comments! Can you even believe it? I know I can’t. I did not mention this detail in the mid-month status report, but my statistics-teaching husband complimented me specifically for including the standard deviation with these calculations, which made me fairly glow with pride.

Although M:PT is not a competition in any way, I think it’s interesting to look the stats for specific pictures. Janet’s casual day outfit holds the record for views with 517 views! In the comments arena, Janet and I tie with 18 comments on our outfits from May 21.

The graph below shows the frequency of picture submissions, where the lime green bars represent weekdays, and weekends (plus Memorial Day) are denoted with turquoise. It’s clear that participants feel the most PT during the week, what with the demands of looking presentable for work, and I think we can all appreciate the therapeutic effects of slouching around the house on the weekend. Submissions hit an all-time high during the third week of May, when participants submitted 29 pictures on two separate days!

M:PT participants highlighted 121 brands and stores (up from 72) for their clothing, shoes, and accessories, but the most prevalent of these were essentially unchanged from two weeks ago. In order from most to least frequent, the top brands, accounting for 49.6% of all items in the pool were:

• Ann Taylor Loft
• Gap
• Target
• Old Navy
• Ann Taylor
• Banana Republic
• H&M
• New York & Company

Ann Taylor and Ann Taylor Loft were the only brands to appear in all three categories to a significant degree. Out of 893 cited items in the pool, these two brands accounted for a whopping 144, which I think translates to a pretty hefty market share.

Spreadsheets aside, it wasn’t all about the numbers! Collectively, the M:PT crew came away with some valuable lessons from this month:

• A red necklace is a sassy staple in anyone’s wardrobe.
• Wearing a dress is an easy, no-brainer way to be automatically PT.
• A bold bag, either print or solid, adds impact to any outfit.
• Elbow-length sleeves are the perfect length for pretty much everyone.
• Jackets add structure and details to an outfit — guaranteed PT!
• Eye-catching shoes can add a lot of spice to an otherwise basic look.
• Repurpose a twinset shell as a sweater vest for a “new,” fun wardrobe item.
• Wearing yellow can be an effective antidote to feeling blue.

I am tickled that so many folks have enjoyed M:PT along with OPH and me. Thank you for your awesome participation! It was so flattering to hear that people wanted M:PT to extend beyond the month of May, but I have to say — the morning picture-taking ritual wears on a girl, so here is the plan for the future of M:PT:

• The M:PT pool will remain open! Whenever you have an outfit that is quite PT, if you do say so yourself, feel free to add it to the pool. Keep up with the latest additions with the pool’s RSS feed, and continue on in the M:PT tradition!
• … but keep in mind: The M:PT pool is not intended to be a “what I’m wearing today” collection; instead, think of it more as a venue to share “what I’m wearing when I’m feeling great!” Right now, there are no restrictions on submission, but please be judicious and selective in your posts so as to avoid flooding the pool.
• Stay tuned! OPH and I are already brainstorming the for the second “official” installment of M:PT, which we predict to be a fabulous fall edition.

On a personal note, it is no exaggeration that M:PT has made an impact on me. I have learned that, because of my relatively safe wardrobe, I am basically PT without much effort. However, if I even put in a little time and thought into accessories or new ways to pair items, I can be so much better. The biggest take-away for me this month is that I just need put in a tiny bit of effort, and I’ll reap a big payoff. It’s not just that I appear more PT at work or with my friends, but I know that I am, instead of being tentative and self-doubting. A lot of that confidence boost comes from simple affirmation of my own ideas, but also the innovation and example of others. So, for that, I offer all of you my humble thanks.

Even though I did not post a picture today, you will all be happy to know that I am wearing my black-and-white faux wrap dress, faithful Gap cardigan, teal double-strand necklace, and pointy flats. And, yes, I feel really PT.