According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apparel are 528.99% higher in 2026 versus 1935 (a $132,247,778,600.52 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 $25,000,000,000 in the year 1935 would cost $157,247,778,600.52 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 $25,000,000,000 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 | $25,000,000,000.00 | 1.49% |
| 1936 | $25,278,446,254.47 | 1.11% |
| 1937 | $26,441,595,705.29 | 4.60% |
| 1938 | $26,451,622,855.73 | 0.04% |
| 1939 | $26,020,455,386.89 | -1.63% |
| 1940 | $26,241,052,696.53 | 0.85% |
| 1941 | $27,454,337,899.54 | 4.62% |
| 1942 | $32,126,990,003.70 | 17.02% |
| 1943 | $33,520,763,914.60 | 4.34% |
| 1944 | $35,867,117,117.12 | 7.00% |
| 1945 | $37,712,112,797.73 | 5.14% |
| 1946 | $41,382,049,858.08 | 9.73% |
| 1947 | $47,959,860,545.48 | 15.90% |
| 1948 | $51,148,494,384.80 | 6.65% |
| 1949 | $49,133,037,146.74 | -3.94% |
| 1950 | $48,471,245,217.82 | -1.35% |
| 1951 | $52,853,109,959.27 | 9.04% |
| 1952 | $52,281,562,384.30 | -1.08% |
| 1953 | $51,950,666,419.84 | -0.63% |
| 1954 | $51,760,150,561.52 | -0.37% |
| 1955 | $51,599,716,154.51 | -0.31% |
| 1956 | $52,642,539,800.07 | 2.02% |
| 1957 | $53,544,983,339.50 | 1.71% |
| 1958 | $53,755,553,498.70 | 0.39% |
| 1959 | $54,176,693,817.10 | 0.78% |
| 1960 | $54,988,893,002.59 | 1.50% |
| 1961 | $55,420,060,471.43 | 0.78% |
| 1962 | $55,730,902,135.01 | 0.56% |
| 1963 | $56,412,748,364.80 | 1.22% |
| 1964 | $56,894,051,585.83 | 0.85% |
| 1965 | $57,435,517,709.49 | 0.95% |
| 1966 | $58,979,698,876.96 | 2.69% |
| 1967 | $61,386,214,982.11 | 4.08% |
| 1968 | $64,665,093,175.37 | 5.34% |
| 1969 | $68,385,165,987.91 | 5.75% |
| 1970 | $71,202,795,261.01 | 4.12% |
| 1971 | $73,509,039,861.78 | 3.24% |
| 1972 | $75,033,166,728.37 | 2.07% |
| 1973 | $77,780,605,948.41 | 3.66% |
| 1974 | $83,546,217,450.33 | 7.41% |
| 1975 | $87,266,290,262.87 | 4.45% |
| 1976 | $90,535,141,305.69 | 3.75% |
| 1977 | $94,586,110,082.69 | 4.47% |
| 1978 | $97,905,096,877.70 | 3.51% |
| 1979 | $102,196,717,265.21 | 4.38% |
| 1980 | $109,426,292,731.09 | 7.07% |
| 1981 | $114,640,410,958.90 | 4.76% |
| 1982 | $117,648,556,090.34 | 2.62% |
| 1983 | $120,556,429,717.39 | 2.47% |
| 1984 | $122,772,429,964.21 | 1.84% |
| 1985 | $126,372,176,971.49 | 2.93% |
| 1986 | $127,445,082,068.37 | 0.85% |
| 1987 | $133,050,259,163.27 | 4.40% |
| 1988 | $138,825,897,815.62 | 4.34% |
| 1989 | $142,686,350,734.30 | 2.78% |
| 1990 | $149,304,270,023.45 | 4.64% |
| 1991 | $154,869,338,516.60 | 3.73% |
| 1992 | $158,679,655,683.08 | 2.46% |
| 1993 | $160,825,465,876.84 | 1.35% |
| 1994 | $160,514,624,213.25 | -0.19% |
| 1995 | $158,779,927,187.46 | -1.08% |
| 1996 | $158,469,085,523.88 | -0.20% |
| 1997 | $159,852,832,284.34 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $160,063,402,443.54 | 0.13% |
| 1999 | $157,977,755,152.41 | -1.30% |
| 2000 | $155,912,162,162.16 | -1.31% |
| 2001 | $153,134,641,490.81 | -1.78% |
| 2002 | $149,234,079,970.38 | -2.55% |
| 2003 | $145,443,817,104.78 | -2.54% |
| 2004 | $144,912,378,131.56 | -0.37% |
| 2005 | $143,839,473,034.68 | -0.74% |
| 2006 | $143,729,174,379.86 | -0.08% |
| 2007 | $143,185,602,554.61 | -0.38% |
| 2008 | $143,075,704,985.81 | -0.08% |
| 2009 | $144,485,020,979.88 | 0.99% |
| 2010 | $143,793,047,328.15 | -0.48% |
| 2011 | $146,930,642,971.74 | 2.18% |
| 2012 | $151,928,876,650.62 | 3.40% |
| 2013 | $153,308,712,822.41 | 0.91% |
| 2014 | $153,432,548,130.32 | 0.08% |
| 2015 | $151,493,196,964.09 | -1.26% |
| 2016 | $151,665,062,322.60 | 0.11% |
| 2017 | $151,143,650,499.81 | -0.34% |
| 2018 | $151,194,688,695.54 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | $149,266,166,851.78 | -1.28% |
| 2020 | $142,079,106,503.76 | -4.81% |
| 2021 | $145,585,400,468.96 | 2.47% |
| 2022 | $152,910,935,764.53 | 5.03% |
| 2023 | $157,119,832,160.93 | 2.75% |
| 2024 | $158,207,577,440.45 | 0.69% |
| 2025 | $158,413,234,295.94 | 0.13% |
| 2026 | $157,247,778,600.52 | -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 |