According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apparel are 507.09% higher in 2026 versus 1937 (a $7,099,290,102.39 difference in value).
Between 1937 and 2026:Apparel experienced an average inflation rate of 2.05% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, apparel costing $1,400,000,000 in the year 1937 would cost $8,499,290,102.39 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.57% during this same period, inflation for apparel was lower.
In the year 1937: Pricing changed by 4.60%, which is above the average yearly change for apparel during the 1937-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1937 (3.73%), inflation for apparel was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Apparel, over time, for $1,400,000,000 beginning in 1937. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1937 | $1,400,000,000.00 | 4.60% |
| 1938 | $1,400,530,906.33 | 0.04% |
| 1939 | $1,377,701,934.02 | -1.63% |
| 1940 | $1,389,381,873.34 | 0.85% |
| 1941 | $1,453,621,539.63 | 4.62% |
| 1942 | $1,701,023,890.78 | 17.02% |
| 1943 | $1,774,819,871.07 | 4.34% |
| 1944 | $1,899,051,952.98 | 7.00% |
| 1945 | $1,996,738,718.24 | 5.14% |
| 1946 | $2,191,050,436.10 | 9.73% |
| 1947 | $2,539,324,990.52 | 15.90% |
| 1948 | $2,708,153,204.40 | 6.65% |
| 1949 | $2,601,441,031.48 | -3.94% |
| 1950 | $2,566,401,213.50 | -1.35% |
| 1951 | $2,798,407,281.00 | 9.04% |
| 1952 | $2,768,145,620.02 | -1.08% |
| 1953 | $2,750,625,711.04 | -0.63% |
| 1954 | $2,740,538,490.71 | -0.37% |
| 1955 | $2,732,043,989.38 | -0.31% |
| 1956 | $2,787,258,248.01 | 2.02% |
| 1957 | $2,835,039,817.97 | 1.71% |
| 1958 | $2,846,188,850.97 | 0.39% |
| 1959 | $2,868,486,916.95 | 0.78% |
| 1960 | $2,911,490,329.92 | 1.50% |
| 1961 | $2,934,319,302.24 | 0.78% |
| 1962 | $2,950,777,398.56 | 0.56% |
| 1963 | $2,986,879,029.20 | 1.22% |
| 1964 | $3,012,362,533.18 | 0.85% |
| 1965 | $3,041,031,475.16 | 0.95% |
| 1966 | $3,122,791,050.44 | 2.69% |
| 1967 | $3,250,208,570.35 | 4.08% |
| 1968 | $3,423,814,941.22 | 5.34% |
| 1969 | $3,620,781,190.75 | 5.75% |
| 1970 | $3,769,965,870.31 | 4.12% |
| 1971 | $3,892,074,326.89 | 3.24% |
| 1972 | $3,972,772,089.50 | 2.07% |
| 1973 | $4,118,240,424.73 | 3.66% |
| 1974 | $4,423,511,566.17 | 7.41% |
| 1975 | $4,620,477,815.70 | 4.45% |
| 1976 | $4,793,553,280.24 | 3.75% |
| 1977 | $5,008,039,438.76 | 4.47% |
| 1978 | $5,183,769,434.96 | 3.51% |
| 1979 | $5,410,997,345.47 | 4.38% |
| 1980 | $5,793,780,811.53 | 7.07% |
| 1981 | $6,069,852,104.66 | 4.76% |
| 1982 | $6,229,124,004.55 | 2.62% |
| 1983 | $6,383,086,841.11 | 2.47% |
| 1984 | $6,500,417,140.69 | 1.84% |
| 1985 | $6,691,012,514.22 | 2.93% |
| 1986 | $6,747,819,491.85 | 0.85% |
| 1987 | $7,044,596,131.97 | 4.40% |
| 1988 | $7,350,398,179.75 | 4.34% |
| 1989 | $7,554,797,117.94 | 2.78% |
| 1990 | $7,905,195,297.69 | 4.64% |
| 1991 | $8,199,848,312.48 | 3.73% |
| 1992 | $8,401,592,719.00 | 2.46% |
| 1993 | $8,515,206,674.25 | 1.35% |
| 1994 | $8,498,748,577.93 | -0.19% |
| 1995 | $8,406,901,782.33 | -1.08% |
| 1996 | $8,390,443,686.01 | -0.20% |
| 1997 | $8,463,708,759.95 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $8,474,857,792.95 | 0.13% |
| 1999 | $8,364,429,275.69 | -1.30% |
| 2000 | $8,255,062,571.10 | -1.31% |
| 2001 | $8,108,001,516.88 | -1.78% |
| 2002 | $7,901,478,953.36 | -2.55% |
| 2003 | $7,700,796,359.50 | -2.54% |
| 2004 | $7,672,658,323.85 | -0.37% |
| 2005 | $7,615,851,346.23 | -0.74% |
| 2006 | $7,610,011,376.56 | -0.08% |
| 2007 | $7,581,230,944.25 | -0.38% |
| 2008 | $7,575,412,210.85 | -0.08% |
| 2009 | $7,650,031,095.94 | 0.99% |
| 2010 | $7,613,393,249.91 | -0.48% |
| 2011 | $7,779,519,150.55 | 2.18% |
| 2012 | $8,044,160,030.34 | 3.40% |
| 2013 | $8,117,218,050.82 | 0.91% |
| 2014 | $8,123,774,744.03 | 0.08% |
| 2015 | $8,021,092,150.17 | -1.26% |
| 2016 | $8,030,191,884.72 | 0.11% |
| 2017 | $8,002,584,755.40 | -0.34% |
| 2018 | $8,005,287,068.64 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | $7,903,177,853.62 | -1.28% |
| 2020 | $7,522,645,430.41 | -4.81% |
| 2021 | $7,708,292,756.92 | 2.47% |
| 2022 | $8,096,156,996.59 | 5.03% |
| 2023 | $8,319,004,929.84 | 2.75% |
| 2024 | $8,376,597,648.84 | 0.69% |
| 2025 | $8,387,486,537.73 | 0.13% |
| 2026 | $8,499,290,102.39 | 1.33%* |
* 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 | 133.409 |