According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apparel are 542.10% higher in 2026 versus 1935 (a $8,944,640,225.84 difference in value).
Between 1935 and 2026:Apparel experienced an average inflation rate of 2.06% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, apparel costing $1,650,000,000 in the year 1935 would cost $10,594,640,225.84 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.54% during this same period, inflation for apparel was lower.
In the year 1935: Pricing changed by 1.49%, which is below the average yearly change for apparel during the 1935-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1935 (2.55%), inflation for apparel was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Apparel, over time, for $1,650,000,000 beginning in 1935. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1935 | $1,650,000,000.00 | 1.49% |
| 1936 | $1,668,377,452.80 | 1.11% |
| 1937 | $1,745,145,316.55 | 4.60% |
| 1938 | $1,745,807,108.48 | 0.04% |
| 1939 | $1,717,350,055.53 | -1.63% |
| 1940 | $1,731,909,477.97 | 0.85% |
| 1941 | $1,811,986,301.37 | 4.62% |
| 1942 | $2,120,381,340.24 | 17.02% |
| 1943 | $2,212,370,418.36 | 4.34% |
| 1944 | $2,367,229,729.73 | 7.00% |
| 1945 | $2,488,999,444.65 | 5.14% |
| 1946 | $2,731,215,290.63 | 9.73% |
| 1947 | $3,165,350,796.00 | 15.90% |
| 1948 | $3,375,800,629.40 | 6.65% |
| 1949 | $3,242,780,451.68 | -3.94% |
| 1950 | $3,199,102,184.38 | -1.35% |
| 1951 | $3,488,305,257.31 | 9.04% |
| 1952 | $3,450,583,117.36 | -1.08% |
| 1953 | $3,428,743,983.71 | -0.63% |
| 1954 | $3,416,169,937.06 | -0.37% |
| 1955 | $3,405,581,266.20 | -0.31% |
| 1956 | $3,474,407,626.80 | 2.02% |
| 1957 | $3,533,968,900.41 | 1.71% |
| 1958 | $3,547,866,530.91 | 0.39% |
| 1959 | $3,575,661,791.93 | 0.78% |
| 1960 | $3,629,266,938.17 | 1.50% |
| 1961 | $3,657,723,991.11 | 0.78% |
| 1962 | $3,678,239,540.91 | 0.56% |
| 1963 | $3,723,241,392.08 | 1.22% |
| 1964 | $3,755,007,404.66 | 0.85% |
| 1965 | $3,790,744,168.83 | 0.95% |
| 1966 | $3,892,660,125.88 | 2.69% |
| 1967 | $4,051,490,188.82 | 4.08% |
| 1968 | $4,267,896,149.57 | 5.34% |
| 1969 | $4,513,420,955.20 | 5.75% |
| 1970 | $4,699,384,487.23 | 4.12% |
| 1971 | $4,851,596,630.88 | 3.24% |
| 1972 | $4,952,189,004.07 | 2.07% |
| 1973 | $5,133,519,992.60 | 3.66% |
| 1974 | $5,514,050,351.72 | 7.41% |
| 1975 | $5,759,575,157.35 | 4.45% |
| 1976 | $5,975,319,326.18 | 3.75% |
| 1977 | $6,242,683,265.46 | 4.47% |
| 1978 | $6,461,736,393.93 | 3.51% |
| 1979 | $6,744,983,339.50 | 4.38% |
| 1980 | $7,222,135,320.25 | 7.07% |
| 1981 | $7,566,267,123.29 | 4.76% |
| 1982 | $7,764,804,701.96 | 2.62% |
| 1983 | $7,956,724,361.35 | 2.47% |
| 1984 | $8,102,980,377.64 | 1.84% |
| 1985 | $8,340,563,680.12 | 2.93% |
| 1986 | $8,411,375,416.51 | 0.85% |
| 1987 | $8,781,317,104.78 | 4.40% |
| 1988 | $9,162,509,255.83 | 4.34% |
| 1989 | $9,417,299,148.46 | 2.78% |
| 1990 | $9,854,081,821.55 | 4.64% |
| 1991 | $10,221,376,342.10 | 3.73% |
| 1992 | $10,472,857,275.08 | 2.46% |
| 1993 | $10,614,480,747.87 | 1.35% |
| 1994 | $10,593,965,198.07 | -0.19% |
| 1995 | $10,479,475,194.37 | -1.08% |
| 1996 | $10,458,959,644.58 | -0.20% |
| 1997 | $10,550,286,930.77 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $10,564,184,561.27 | 0.13% |
| 1999 | $10,426,531,840.06 | -1.30% |
| 2000 | $10,290,202,702.70 | -1.31% |
| 2001 | $10,106,886,338.39 | -1.78% |
| 2002 | $9,849,449,278.05 | -2.55% |
| 2003 | $9,599,291,928.92 | -2.54% |
| 2004 | $9,564,216,956.68 | -0.37% |
| 2005 | $9,493,405,220.29 | -0.74% |
| 2006 | $9,486,125,509.07 | -0.08% |
| 2007 | $9,450,249,768.60 | -0.38% |
| 2008 | $9,442,996,529.06 | -0.08% |
| 2009 | $9,536,011,384.67 | 0.99% |
| 2010 | $9,490,341,123.66 | -0.48% |
| 2011 | $9,697,422,436.13 | 2.18% |
| 2012 | $10,027,305,858.94 | 3.40% |
| 2013 | $10,118,375,046.28 | 0.91% |
| 2014 | $10,126,548,176.60 | 0.08% |
| 2015 | $9,998,550,999.63 | -1.26% |
| 2016 | $10,009,894,113.29 | 0.11% |
| 2017 | $9,975,480,932.99 | -0.34% |
| 2018 | $9,978,849,453.91 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | $9,851,567,012.22 | -1.28% |
| 2020 | $9,377,221,029.25 | -4.81% |
| 2021 | $9,608,636,430.95 | 2.47% |
| 2022 | $10,092,121,760.46 | 5.03% |
| 2023 | $10,369,908,922.62 | 2.75% |
| 2024 | $10,441,700,111.07 | 0.69% |
| 2025 | $10,455,273,463.53 | 0.13% |
| 2026 | $10,594,640,225.84 | 1.33%* |
* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.
** Extended periods of 0% inflation usually indicate incomplete underlying data. This can manifest as a sharp increase in inflation later on.
Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Apparel:
| Year | 1914 | 1915 | 1916 | 1917 | 1918 | 1919 | 1920 | 1921 | 1922 | 1923 | 1924 | 1925 | 1926 | 1927 | 1928 | 1929 | 1930 | 1931 | 1932 | 1933 | 1934 | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
| CPI | 15.000 | 15.050 | 15.792 | 18.258 | 23.000 | 34.000 | 43.608 | 34.883 | 27.158 | 27.000 | 26.883 | 26.383 | 26.008 | 25.500 | 25.033 | 24.775 | 24.458 | 22.608 | 19.883 | 18.533 | 20.473 | 20.777 | 21.008 | 21.975 | 21.983 | 21.625 | 21.808 | 22.817 | 26.700 | 27.858 | 29.808 | 31.342 | 34.392 | 39.858 | 42.508 | 40.833 | 40.283 | 43.925 | 43.450 | 43.175 | 43.017 | 42.883 | 43.750 | 44.500 | 44.675 | 45.025 | 45.700 | 46.058 | 46.317 | 46.883 | 47.283 | 47.733 | 49.017 | 51.017 | 53.742 | 56.833 | 59.175 | 61.092 | 62.358 | 64.642 | 69.433 | 72.525 | 75.242 | 78.608 | 81.367 | 84.933 | 90.942 | 95.275 | 97.775 | 100.192 | 102.033 | 105.025 | 105.917 | 110.575 | 115.375 | 118.583 | 124.083 | 128.708 | 131.875 | 133.658 | 133.400 | 131.958 | 131.700 | 132.850 | 133.025 | 131.292 | 129.575 | 127.267 | 124.025 | 120.875 | 120.433 | 119.542 | 119.450 | 118.998 | 118.907 | 120.078 | 119.503 | 122.111 | 126.265 | 127.411 | 127.514 | 125.902 | 126.045 | 125.612 | 125.654 | 124.052 | 118.079 | 120.993 | 127.081 | 130.579 | 131.483 | 131.654 | 133.409 |