According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apparel are 542.10% higher in 2026 versus 1935 (a $12,219,944,505.64 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 $2,254,188,869 in the year 1935 would cost $14,474,133,374.64 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 $2,254,188,869 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 | $2,254,188,869.00 | 1.49% |
| 1936 | $2,279,295,686.90 | 1.11% |
| 1937 | $2,384,174,028.70 | 4.60% |
| 1938 | $2,385,078,152.34 | 0.04% |
| 1939 | $2,346,200,835.98 | -1.63% |
| 1940 | $2,366,091,555.97 | 0.85% |
| 1941 | $2,475,490,515.96 | 4.62% |
| 1942 | $2,896,812,130.43 | 17.02% |
| 1943 | $3,022,485,315.87 | 4.34% |
| 1944 | $3,234,050,246.74 | 7.00% |
| 1945 | $3,400,408,995.80 | 5.14% |
| 1946 | $3,731,318,246.66 | 9.73% |
| 1947 | $4,324,423,352.02 | 15.90% |
| 1948 | $4,611,934,668.33 | 6.65% |
| 1949 | $4,430,205,817.45 | -3.94% |
| 1950 | $4,370,533,657.46 | -1.35% |
| 1951 | $4,765,635,686.49 | 9.04% |
| 1952 | $4,714,100,639.22 | -1.08% |
| 1953 | $4,684,264,559.23 | -0.63% |
| 1954 | $4,667,086,210.14 | -0.37% |
| 1955 | $4,652,620,231.96 | -0.31% |
| 1956 | $4,746,649,090.13 | 2.02% |
| 1957 | $4,828,020,217.39 | 1.71% |
| 1958 | $4,847,006,813.75 | 0.39% |
| 1959 | $4,884,980,006.47 | 0.78% |
| 1960 | $4,958,214,021.00 | 1.50% |
| 1961 | $4,997,091,337.36 | 0.78% |
| 1962 | $5,025,119,170.08 | 0.56% |
| 1963 | $5,086,599,577.35 | 1.22% |
| 1964 | $5,129,997,511.88 | 0.85% |
| 1965 | $5,178,820,188.24 | 0.95% |
| 1966 | $5,318,055,228.22 | 2.69% |
| 1967 | $5,535,044,900.91 | 4.08% |
| 1968 | $5,830,693,329.95 | 5.34% |
| 1969 | $6,166,123,198.99 | 5.75% |
| 1970 | $6,420,181,940.76 | 4.12% |
| 1971 | $6,628,130,377.09 | 3.24% |
| 1972 | $6,765,557,169.80 | 2.07% |
| 1973 | $7,013,287,046.12 | 3.66% |
| 1974 | $7,533,158,136.94 | 7.41% |
| 1975 | $7,868,588,005.98 | 4.45% |
| 1976 | $8,163,332,311.39 | 3.75% |
| 1977 | $8,528,598,260.42 | 4.47% |
| 1978 | $8,827,863,184.00 | 3.51% |
| 1979 | $9,214,828,100.30 | 4.38% |
| 1980 | $9,866,701,242.01 | 7.07% |
| 1981 | $10,336,845,532.85 | 4.76% |
| 1982 | $10,608,082,623.71 | 2.62% |
| 1983 | $10,870,278,478.21 | 2.47% |
| 1984 | $11,070,089,801.82 | 1.84% |
| 1985 | $11,394,670,187.22 | 2.93% |
| 1986 | $11,491,411,416.29 | 0.85% |
| 1987 | $11,996,816,528.94 | 4.40% |
| 1988 | $12,517,591,743.40 | 4.34% |
| 1989 | $12,865,679,343.34 | 2.78% |
| 1990 | $13,462,400,943.24 | 4.64% |
| 1991 | $13,964,189,561.34 | 3.73% |
| 1992 | $14,307,756,543.10 | 2.46% |
| 1993 | $14,501,239,001.25 | 1.35% |
| 1994 | $14,473,211,168.53 | -0.19% |
| 1995 | $14,316,797,779.46 | -1.08% |
| 1996 | $14,288,769,946.74 | -0.20% |
| 1997 | $14,413,539,008.54 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $14,432,525,604.90 | 0.13% |
| 1999 | $14,244,467,888.57 | -1.30% |
| 2000 | $14,058,218,419.51 | -1.31% |
| 2001 | $13,807,776,172.28 | -1.78% |
| 2002 | $13,456,072,077.79 | -2.55% |
| 2003 | $13,114,313,343.30 | -2.54% |
| 2004 | $13,066,394,790.58 | -0.37% |
| 2005 | $12,969,653,561.50 | -0.74% |
| 2006 | $12,959,708,201.51 | -0.08% |
| 2007 | $12,910,695,659.19 | -0.38% |
| 2008 | $12,900,786,464.13 | -0.08% |
| 2009 | $13,027,861,041.20 | 0.99% |
| 2010 | $12,965,467,469.07 | -0.48% |
| 2011 | $13,248,376,796.08 | 2.18% |
| 2012 | $13,699,055,305.02 | 3.40% |
| 2013 | $13,823,471,758.60 | 0.91% |
| 2014 | $13,834,637,685.51 | 0.08% |
| 2015 | $13,659,771,133.03 | -1.26% |
| 2016 | $13,675,267,812.15 | 0.11% |
| 2017 | $13,628,253,383.07 | -0.34% |
| 2018 | $13,632,855,372.38 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | $13,458,965,273.42 | -1.28% |
| 2020 | $12,810,925,615.93 | -4.81% |
| 2021 | $13,127,079,569.04 | 2.47% |
| 2022 | $13,787,605,173.95 | 5.03% |
| 2023 | $14,167,111,070.25 | 2.75% |
| 2024 | $14,265,190,402.31 | 0.69% |
| 2025 | $14,283,733,978.09 | 0.13% |
| 2026 | $14,474,133,374.64 | 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 |