According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apparel are 524.55% higher in 2026 versus 1935 (a $3,151,455,459.96 difference in value).
Between 1935 and 2026: Apparel experienced an average inflation rate of 2.03% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, apparel costing $600,788,188 in the year 1935 would cost $3,752,243,647.96 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 $600,788,188 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 | $600,788,188.00 | 1.49% |
| 1936 | $607,479,676.83 | 1.11% |
| 1937 | $635,431,934.86 | 4.60% |
| 1938 | $635,672,902.61 | 0.04% |
| 1939 | $625,311,289.71 | -1.63% |
| 1940 | $630,612,580.03 | 0.85% |
| 1941 | $659,769,676.78 | 4.62% |
| 1942 | $772,060,644.41 | 17.02% |
| 1943 | $805,555,160.51 | 4.34% |
| 1944 | $861,941,612.06 | 7.00% |
| 1945 | $906,279,676.54 | 5.14% |
| 1946 | $994,473,870.00 | 9.73% |
| 1947 | $1,152,548,708.55 | 15.90% |
| 1948 | $1,229,176,450.41 | 6.65% |
| 1949 | $1,180,741,934.33 | -3.94% |
| 1950 | $1,164,838,063.38 | -1.35% |
| 1951 | $1,270,140,966.50 | 9.04% |
| 1952 | $1,256,405,805.23 | -1.08% |
| 1953 | $1,248,453,869.75 | -0.63% |
| 1954 | $1,243,875,482.66 | -0.37% |
| 1955 | $1,240,019,998.79 | -0.31% |
| 1956 | $1,265,080,643.93 | 2.02% |
| 1957 | $1,286,767,740.68 | 1.71% |
| 1958 | $1,291,828,063.26 | 0.39% |
| 1959 | $1,301,948,708.41 | 0.78% |
| 1960 | $1,321,467,095.49 | 1.50% |
| 1961 | $1,331,828,708.38 | 0.78% |
| 1962 | $1,339,298,708.37 | 0.56% |
| 1963 | $1,355,684,514.81 | 1.22% |
| 1964 | $1,367,250,966.41 | 0.85% |
| 1965 | $1,380,263,224.46 | 0.95% |
| 1966 | $1,417,372,256.68 | 2.69% |
| 1967 | $1,475,204,514.69 | 4.08% |
| 1968 | $1,554,000,966.23 | 5.34% |
| 1969 | $1,643,399,998.40 | 5.75% |
| 1970 | $1,711,111,933.82 | 4.12% |
| 1971 | $1,766,534,514.41 | 3.24% |
| 1972 | $1,803,161,611.15 | 2.07% |
| 1973 | $1,869,186,772.37 | 3.66% |
| 1974 | $2,007,743,223.85 | 7.41% |
| 1975 | $2,097,142,256.02 | 4.45% |
| 1976 | $2,175,697,739.81 | 3.75% |
| 1977 | $2,273,048,707.46 | 4.47% |
| 1978 | $2,352,809,029.96 | 3.51% |
| 1979 | $2,455,943,223.41 | 4.38% |
| 1980 | $2,629,680,965.18 | 7.07% |
| 1981 | $2,754,984,190.86 | 4.76% |
| 1982 | $2,827,274,513.37 | 2.62% |
| 1983 | $2,897,155,158.47 | 2.47% |
| 1984 | $2,950,409,029.38 | 1.84% |
| 1985 | $3,036,916,448.65 | 2.93% |
| 1986 | $3,062,699,997.01 | 0.85% |
| 1987 | $3,197,400,964.63 | 4.40% |
| 1988 | $3,336,198,383.84 | 4.34% |
| 1989 | $3,428,970,964.40 | 2.78% |
| 1990 | $3,588,009,673.92 | 4.64% |
| 1991 | $3,721,746,770.57 | 3.73% |
| 1992 | $3,813,314,512.41 | 2.46% |
| 1993 | $3,864,881,609.14 | 1.35% |
| 1994 | $3,857,411,609.14 | -0.19% |
| 1995 | $3,815,724,189.83 | -1.08% |
| 1996 | $3,808,254,189.84 | -0.20% |
| 1997 | $3,841,507,738.19 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $3,846,568,060.77 | 0.13% |
| 1999 | $3,796,446,770.49 | -1.30% |
| 2000 | $3,746,807,415.70 | -1.31% |
| 2001 | $3,680,059,351.25 | -1.78% |
| 2002 | $3,586,322,899.73 | -2.55% |
| 2003 | $3,495,237,093.37 | -2.54% |
| 2004 | $3,482,465,803.06 | -0.37% |
| 2005 | $3,456,682,254.70 | -0.74% |
| 2006 | $3,454,031,609.54 | -0.08% |
| 2007 | $3,440,968,748.26 | -0.38% |
| 2008 | $3,438,327,741.81 | -0.08% |
| 2009 | $3,472,195,757.91 | 0.99% |
| 2010 | $3,455,566,574.05 | -0.48% |
| 2011 | $3,530,967,790.11 | 2.18% |
| 2012 | $3,651,082,980.31 | 3.40% |
| 2013 | $3,684,242,551.25 | 0.91% |
| 2014 | $3,687,218,502.86 | 0.08% |
| 2015 | $3,640,612,931.94 | -1.26% |
| 2016 | $3,644,743,119.03 | 0.11% |
| 2017 | $3,632,212,796.46 | -0.34% |
| 2018 | $3,633,439,322.26 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | $3,587,093,996.50 | -1.28% |
| 2020 | $3,414,377,957.96 | -4.81% |
| 2021 | $3,498,639,557.88 | 2.47% |
| 2022 | $3,674,683,360.93 | 5.03% |
| 2023 | $3,775,829,570.51 | 2.75% |
| 2024 | $3,801,969,751.13 | 0.69% |
| 2025 | $3,816,195,610.36 | 0.37% |
| 2026 | $3,752,243,647.96 | -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 |