According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apparel are 528.99% higher in 2026 versus 1935 (a $5,739,231,430.38 difference in value).
Between 1935 and 2026:Apparel experienced an average inflation rate of 2.04% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, apparel costing $1,084,939,099 in the year 1935 would cost $6,824,170,529.38 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 $1,084,939,099 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 | $1,084,939,099.00 | 1.49% |
| 1936 | $1,097,022,988.14 | 1.11% |
| 1937 | $1,147,500,840.82 | 4.60% |
| 1938 | $1,147,935,994.73 | 0.04% |
| 1939 | $1,129,224,376.92 | -1.63% |
| 1940 | $1,138,797,762.78 | 0.85% |
| 1941 | $1,191,451,384.97 | 4.62% |
| 1942 | $1,394,233,103.53 | 17.02% |
| 1943 | $1,454,719,495.97 | 4.34% |
| 1944 | $1,556,545,509.15 | 7.00% |
| 1945 | $1,636,613,827.21 | 5.14% |
| 1946 | $1,795,880,155.51 | 9.73% |
| 1947 | $2,081,341,115.54 | 15.90% |
| 1948 | $2,219,720,056.52 | 6.65% |
| 1949 | $2,132,254,122.12 | -3.94% |
| 1950 | $2,103,533,964.56 | -1.35% |
| 1951 | $2,293,696,219.94 | 9.04% |
| 1952 | $2,268,892,447.50 | -1.08% |
| 1953 | $2,254,532,368.72 | -0.63% |
| 1954 | $2,246,264,444.57 | -0.37% |
| 1955 | $2,239,301,982.13 | -0.31% |
| 1956 | $2,284,557,987.99 | 2.02% |
| 1957 | $2,323,721,839.21 | 1.71% |
| 1958 | $2,332,860,071.17 | 0.39% |
| 1959 | $2,351,136,535.07 | 0.78% |
| 1960 | $2,386,384,001.17 | 1.50% |
| 1961 | $2,405,095,618.98 | 0.78% |
| 1962 | $2,418,585,389.95 | 0.56% |
| 1963 | $2,448,175,855.32 | 1.22% |
| 1964 | $2,469,063,242.64 | 0.85% |
| 1965 | $2,492,561,553.37 | 0.95% |
| 1966 | $2,559,575,254.35 | 2.69% |
| 1967 | $2,664,012,190.95 | 4.08% |
| 1968 | $2,806,307,517.06 | 5.34% |
| 1969 | $2,967,749,614.88 | 5.75% |
| 1970 | $3,090,027,861.47 | 4.12% |
| 1971 | $3,190,113,259.04 | 3.24% |
| 1972 | $3,256,256,652.22 | 2.07% |
| 1973 | $3,375,488,821.49 | 3.66% |
| 1974 | $3,625,702,315.42 | 7.41% |
| 1975 | $3,787,144,413.23 | 4.45% |
| 1976 | $3,929,004,585.44 | 3.75% |
| 1977 | $4,104,806,762.04 | 4.47% |
| 1978 | $4,248,842,703.76 | 3.51% |
| 1979 | $4,435,088,574.02 | 4.38% |
| 1980 | $4,748,834,537.70 | 7.07% |
| 1981 | $4,975,114,566.99 | 4.76% |
| 1982 | $5,105,660,737.73 | 2.62% |
| 1983 | $5,231,855,369.45 | 2.47% |
| 1984 | $5,328,024,381.90 | 1.84% |
| 1985 | $5,484,244,632.88 | 2.93% |
| 1986 | $5,530,806,100.45 | 0.85% |
| 1987 | $5,774,057,131.93 | 4.40% |
| 1988 | $6,024,705,779.76 | 4.34% |
| 1989 | $6,192,240,032.21 | 2.78% |
| 1990 | $6,479,441,607.84 | 4.64% |
| 1991 | $6,720,952,023.72 | 3.73% |
| 1992 | $6,886,310,506.66 | 2.46% |
| 1993 | $6,979,433,441.79 | 1.35% |
| 1994 | $6,965,943,670.81 | -0.19% |
| 1995 | $6,890,662,045.68 | -1.08% |
| 1996 | $6,877,172,274.71 | -0.20% |
| 1997 | $6,937,223,513.25 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $6,946,361,745.20 | 0.13% |
| 1999 | $6,855,849,733.48 | -1.30% |
| 2000 | $6,766,208,029.57 | -1.31% |
| 2001 | $6,645,670,398.59 | -1.78% |
| 2002 | $6,476,395,530.53 | -2.55% |
| 2003 | $6,311,907,355.39 | -2.54% |
| 2004 | $6,288,844,198.56 | -0.37% |
| 2005 | $6,242,282,731.00 | -0.74% |
| 2006 | $6,237,496,038.07 | -0.08% |
| 2007 | $6,213,906,345.01 | -0.38% |
| 2008 | $6,209,137,058.24 | -0.08% |
| 2009 | $6,270,297,939.24 | 0.99% |
| 2010 | $6,240,267,968.43 | -0.48% |
| 2011 | $6,376,431,976.05 | 2.18% |
| 2012 | $6,593,343,141.82 | 3.40% |
| 2013 | $6,653,224,670.34 | 0.91% |
| 2014 | $6,658,598,821.03 | 0.08% |
| 2015 | $6,574,435,704.75 | -1.26% |
| 2016 | $6,581,894,242.64 | 0.11% |
| 2017 | $6,559,266,239.71 | -0.34% |
| 2018 | $6,561,481,173.08 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | $6,477,788,023.01 | -1.28% |
| 2020 | $6,165,887,111.88 | -4.81% |
| 2021 | $6,318,051,728.49 | 2.47% |
| 2022 | $6,635,962,115.02 | 5.03% |
| 2023 | $6,818,617,965.59 | 2.75% |
| 2024 | $6,865,823,460.93 | 0.69% |
| 2025 | $6,874,748,467.47 | 0.13% |
| 2026 | $6,824,170,529.38 | -0.74%* |
* 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 | 130.685 |