According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apparel are 408.87% higher in 2026 versus 1927 (a $23,305.85 difference in value).
Between 1927 and 2026: Apparel experienced an average inflation rate of 1.66% per year. In other words, apparel costing $5,700 in the year 1927 would cost $29,005.85 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.00% during this same period, inflation for apparel was lower.
In the year 1927: Pricing changed by -1.95%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for apparel during the 1927-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1927 (-1.93%), inflation for apparel was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Apparel, over time, for $5,700 beginning in 1927. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1927 | $5,700.00 | -1.95% |
| 1928 | $5,595.69 | -1.83% |
| 1929 | $5,537.94 | -1.03% |
| 1930 | $5,467.16 | -1.28% |
| 1931 | $5,053.63 | -7.56% |
| 1932 | $4,444.51 | -12.05% |
| 1933 | $4,142.75 | -6.79% |
| 1934 | $4,576.26 | 10.46% |
| 1935 | $4,644.25 | 1.49% |
| 1936 | $4,695.98 | 1.11% |
| 1937 | $4,912.06 | 4.60% |
| 1938 | $4,913.92 | 0.04% |
| 1939 | $4,833.82 | -1.63% |
| 1940 | $4,874.80 | 0.85% |
| 1941 | $5,100.20 | 4.62% |
| 1942 | $5,968.24 | 17.02% |
| 1943 | $6,227.16 | 4.34% |
| 1944 | $6,663.04 | 7.00% |
| 1945 | $7,005.78 | 5.14% |
| 1946 | $7,687.55 | 9.73% |
| 1947 | $8,909.51 | 15.90% |
| 1948 | $9,501.86 | 6.65% |
| 1949 | $9,127.45 | -3.94% |
| 1950 | $9,004.51 | -1.35% |
| 1951 | $9,818.53 | 9.04% |
| 1952 | $9,712.35 | -1.08% |
| 1953 | $9,650.88 | -0.63% |
| 1954 | $9,615.49 | -0.37% |
| 1955 | $9,585.69 | -0.31% |
| 1956 | $9,779.41 | 2.02% |
| 1957 | $9,947.06 | 1.71% |
| 1958 | $9,986.18 | 0.39% |
| 1959 | $10,064.41 | 0.78% |
| 1960 | $10,215.29 | 1.50% |
| 1961 | $10,295.39 | 0.78% |
| 1962 | $10,353.14 | 0.56% |
| 1963 | $10,479.80 | 1.22% |
| 1964 | $10,569.22 | 0.85% |
| 1965 | $10,669.80 | 0.95% |
| 1966 | $10,956.67 | 2.69% |
| 1967 | $11,403.73 | 4.08% |
| 1968 | $12,012.84 | 5.34% |
| 1969 | $12,703.92 | 5.75% |
| 1970 | $13,227.35 | 4.12% |
| 1971 | $13,655.78 | 3.24% |
| 1972 | $13,938.92 | 2.07% |
| 1973 | $14,449.31 | 3.66% |
| 1974 | $15,520.39 | 7.41% |
| 1975 | $16,211.47 | 4.45% |
| 1976 | $16,818.73 | 3.75% |
| 1977 | $17,571.27 | 4.47% |
| 1978 | $18,187.84 | 3.51% |
| 1979 | $18,985.10 | 4.38% |
| 1980 | $20,328.14 | 7.07% |
| 1981 | $21,296.76 | 4.76% |
| 1982 | $21,855.59 | 2.62% |
| 1983 | $22,395.78 | 2.47% |
| 1984 | $22,807.45 | 1.84% |
| 1985 | $23,476.18 | 2.93% |
| 1986 | $23,675.49 | 0.85% |
| 1987 | $24,716.76 | 4.40% |
| 1988 | $25,789.71 | 4.34% |
| 1989 | $26,506.86 | 2.78% |
| 1990 | $27,736.27 | 4.64% |
| 1991 | $28,770.10 | 3.73% |
| 1992 | $29,477.94 | 2.46% |
| 1993 | $29,876.57 | 1.35% |
| 1994 | $29,818.82 | -0.19% |
| 1995 | $29,496.57 | -1.08% |
| 1996 | $29,438.82 | -0.20% |
| 1997 | $29,695.88 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $29,735.00 | 0.13% |
| 1999 | $29,347.55 | -1.30% |
| 2000 | $28,963.82 | -1.31% |
| 2001 | $28,447.84 | -1.78% |
| 2002 | $27,723.24 | -2.55% |
| 2003 | $27,019.12 | -2.54% |
| 2004 | $26,920.39 | -0.37% |
| 2005 | $26,721.08 | -0.74% |
| 2006 | $26,700.59 | -0.08% |
| 2007 | $26,599.61 | -0.38% |
| 2008 | $26,579.19 | -0.08% |
| 2009 | $26,841.00 | 0.99% |
| 2010 | $26,712.45 | -0.48% |
| 2011 | $27,295.33 | 2.18% |
| 2012 | $28,223.85 | 3.40% |
| 2013 | $28,480.18 | 0.91% |
| 2014 | $28,503.19 | 0.08% |
| 2015 | $28,142.91 | -1.26% |
| 2016 | $28,174.84 | 0.11% |
| 2017 | $28,077.98 | -0.34% |
| 2018 | $28,087.46 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | $27,729.20 | -1.28% |
| 2020 | $26,394.05 | -4.81% |
| 2021 | $27,045.42 | 2.47% |
| 2022 | $28,406.29 | 5.03% |
| 2023 | $29,188.17 | 2.75% |
| 2024 | $29,390.24 | 0.69% |
| 2025 | $29,500.21 | 0.37% |
| 2026 | $29,005.85 | -1.68%* |
* 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 | 131.975 | 129.763 |