According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apparel are 528.99% higher in 2026 versus 1935 (a $43,852,351,460.96 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 $8,289,808,707 in the year 1935 would cost $52,142,160,167.96 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 $8,289,808,707 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 | $8,289,808,707.00 | 1.49% |
| 1936 | $8,382,139,354.39 | 1.11% |
| 1937 | $8,767,830,812.19 | 4.60% |
| 1938 | $8,771,155,738.55 | 0.04% |
| 1939 | $8,628,183,905.06 | -1.63% |
| 1940 | $8,701,332,284.98 | 0.85% |
| 1941 | $9,103,648,374.58 | 4.62% |
| 1942 | $10,653,064,058.50 | 17.02% |
| 1943 | $11,115,228,822.58 | 4.34% |
| 1944 | $11,893,261,590.90 | 7.00% |
| 1945 | $12,505,048,041.20 | 5.14% |
| 1946 | $13,721,971,089.08 | 9.73% |
| 1947 | $15,903,122,781.46 | 15.90% |
| 1948 | $16,960,449,364.04 | 6.65% |
| 1949 | $16,292,139,165.61 | -3.94% |
| 1950 | $16,072,694,025.83 | -1.35% |
| 1951 | $17,525,686,845.30 | 9.04% |
| 1952 | $17,336,166,042.76 | -1.08% |
| 1953 | $17,226,443,472.87 | -0.63% |
| 1954 | $17,163,269,872.02 | -0.37% |
| 1955 | $17,110,071,050.26 | -0.31% |
| 1956 | $17,455,863,391.73 | 2.02% |
| 1957 | $17,755,106,764.16 | 1.71% |
| 1958 | $17,824,930,217.73 | 0.39% |
| 1959 | $17,964,577,124.86 | 0.78% |
| 1960 | $18,233,896,160.05 | 1.50% |
| 1961 | $18,376,867,993.54 | 0.78% |
| 1962 | $18,479,940,710.71 | 0.56% |
| 1963 | $18,706,035,703.21 | 1.22% |
| 1964 | $18,865,632,168.51 | 0.85% |
| 1965 | $19,045,178,191.97 | 0.95% |
| 1966 | $19,557,216,851.46 | 2.69% |
| 1967 | $20,355,199,177.94 | 4.08% |
| 1968 | $21,442,450,097.76 | 5.34% |
| 1969 | $22,675,997,777.45 | 5.75% |
| 1970 | $23,610,302,084.70 | 4.12% |
| 1971 | $24,375,035,147.58 | 3.24% |
| 1972 | $24,880,423,954.35 | 2.07% |
| 1973 | $25,791,453,777.08 | 3.66% |
| 1974 | $27,703,286,434.27 | 7.41% |
| 1975 | $28,936,834,113.95 | 4.45% |
| 1976 | $30,020,760,107.42 | 3.75% |
| 1977 | $31,364,030,356.99 | 4.47% |
| 1978 | $32,464,580,982.26 | 3.51% |
| 1979 | $33,887,649,464.48 | 4.38% |
| 1980 | $36,284,921,370.28 | 7.07% |
| 1981 | $38,013,883,077.65 | 4.76% |
| 1982 | $39,011,360,985.75 | 2.62% |
| 1983 | $39,975,589,630.24 | 2.47% |
| 1984 | $40,710,398,355.87 | 1.84% |
| 1985 | $41,904,046,919.23 | 2.93% |
| 1986 | $42,259,814,039.79 | 0.85% |
| 1987 | $44,118,447,875.21 | 4.40% |
| 1988 | $46,033,605,458.76 | 4.34% |
| 1989 | $47,313,702,107.49 | 2.78% |
| 1990 | $49,508,153,505.31 | 4.64% |
| 1991 | $51,353,487,635.29 | 3.73% |
| 1992 | $52,616,959,652.21 | 2.46% |
| 1993 | $53,328,493,893.32 | 1.35% |
| 1994 | $53,225,421,176.15 | -0.19% |
| 1995 | $52,650,208,915.82 | -1.08% |
| 1996 | $52,547,136,198.65 | -0.20% |
| 1997 | $53,005,976,036.37 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $53,075,799,489.94 | 0.13% |
| 1999 | $52,384,214,806.99 | -1.30% |
| 2000 | $51,699,279,976.76 | -1.31% |
| 2001 | $50,778,275,374.95 | -1.78% |
| 2002 | $49,484,879,020.78 | -2.55% |
| 2003 | $48,228,056,856.58 | -2.54% |
| 2004 | $48,051,835,759.48 | -0.37% |
| 2005 | $47,696,068,638.93 | -0.74% |
| 2006 | $47,659,494,448.96 | -0.08% |
| 2007 | $47,479,250,190.97 | -0.38% |
| 2008 | $47,442,808,998.06 | -0.08% |
| 2009 | $47,910,127,398.00 | 0.99% |
| 2010 | $47,680,674,229.88 | -0.48% |
| 2011 | $48,721,076,937.29 | 2.18% |
| 2012 | $50,378,452,980.12 | 3.40% |
| 2013 | $50,835,996,096.57 | 0.91% |
| 2014 | $50,877,058,937.12 | 0.08% |
| 2015 | $50,233,984,929.77 | -1.26% |
| 2016 | $50,290,974,167.58 | 0.11% |
| 2017 | $50,118,077,996.85 | -0.34% |
| 2018 | $50,135,001,872.02 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | $49,495,518,785.14 | -1.28% |
| 2020 | $47,112,344,567.11 | -4.81% |
| 2021 | $48,275,004,816.79 | 2.47% |
| 2022 | $50,704,096,267.85 | 5.03% |
| 2023 | $52,099,734,107.60 | 2.75% |
| 2024 | $52,460,422,119.17 | 0.69% |
| 2025 | $52,528,616,358.82 | 0.13% |
| 2026 | $52,142,160,167.96 | -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 |