According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apparel are 490.50% higher in 2026 versus 1937 (a $4,071,173.61 difference in value).
Between 1937 and 2026: Apparel experienced an average inflation rate of 2.02% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, apparel costing $830,000 in the year 1937 would cost $4,901,173.61 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.56% 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 $830,000 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 | $830,000.00 | 4.60% |
| 1938 | $830,314.75 | 0.04% |
| 1939 | $816,780.43 | -1.63% |
| 1940 | $823,704.97 | 0.85% |
| 1941 | $861,789.91 | 4.62% |
| 1942 | $1,008,464.16 | 17.02% |
| 1943 | $1,052,214.64 | 4.34% |
| 1944 | $1,125,866.51 | 7.00% |
| 1945 | $1,183,780.81 | 5.14% |
| 1946 | $1,298,979.90 | 9.73% |
| 1947 | $1,505,456.96 | 15.90% |
| 1948 | $1,605,547.97 | 6.65% |
| 1949 | $1,542,282.90 | -3.94% |
| 1950 | $1,521,509.29 | -1.35% |
| 1951 | $1,659,055.75 | 9.04% |
| 1952 | $1,641,114.90 | -1.08% |
| 1953 | $1,630,728.10 | -0.63% |
| 1954 | $1,624,747.82 | -0.37% |
| 1955 | $1,619,711.79 | -0.31% |
| 1956 | $1,652,445.96 | 2.02% |
| 1957 | $1,680,773.61 | 1.71% |
| 1958 | $1,687,383.39 | 0.39% |
| 1959 | $1,700,602.96 | 0.78% |
| 1960 | $1,726,097.84 | 1.50% |
| 1961 | $1,739,632.16 | 0.78% |
| 1962 | $1,749,389.46 | 0.56% |
| 1963 | $1,770,792.57 | 1.22% |
| 1964 | $1,785,900.64 | 0.85% |
| 1965 | $1,802,897.23 | 0.95% |
| 1966 | $1,851,368.98 | 2.69% |
| 1967 | $1,926,909.37 | 4.08% |
| 1968 | $2,029,833.14 | 5.34% |
| 1969 | $2,146,605.99 | 5.75% |
| 1970 | $2,235,051.19 | 4.12% |
| 1971 | $2,307,444.07 | 3.24% |
| 1972 | $2,355,286.31 | 2.07% |
| 1973 | $2,441,528.25 | 3.66% |
| 1974 | $2,622,510.43 | 7.41% |
| 1975 | $2,739,283.28 | 4.45% |
| 1976 | $2,841,892.30 | 3.75% |
| 1977 | $2,969,051.95 | 4.47% |
| 1978 | $3,073,234.74 | 3.51% |
| 1979 | $3,207,948.43 | 4.38% |
| 1980 | $3,434,884.34 | 7.07% |
| 1981 | $3,598,555.18 | 4.76% |
| 1982 | $3,692,980.66 | 2.62% |
| 1983 | $3,784,258.63 | 2.47% |
| 1984 | $3,853,818.73 | 1.84% |
| 1985 | $3,966,814.56 | 2.93% |
| 1986 | $4,000,492.98 | 0.85% |
| 1987 | $4,176,439.14 | 4.40% |
| 1988 | $4,357,736.06 | 4.34% |
| 1989 | $4,478,915.43 | 2.78% |
| 1990 | $4,686,651.50 | 4.64% |
| 1991 | $4,861,338.64 | 3.73% |
| 1992 | $4,980,944.25 | 2.46% |
| 1993 | $5,048,301.10 | 1.35% |
| 1994 | $5,038,543.80 | -0.19% |
| 1995 | $4,984,091.77 | -1.08% |
| 1996 | $4,974,334.47 | -0.20% |
| 1997 | $5,017,770.19 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $5,024,379.98 | 0.13% |
| 1999 | $4,958,911.64 | -1.30% |
| 2000 | $4,894,072.81 | -1.31% |
| 2001 | $4,806,886.61 | -1.78% |
| 2002 | $4,684,448.24 | -2.55% |
| 2003 | $4,565,472.13 | -2.54% |
| 2004 | $4,548,790.29 | -0.37% |
| 2005 | $4,515,111.87 | -0.74% |
| 2006 | $4,511,649.60 | -0.08% |
| 2007 | $4,494,586.92 | -0.38% |
| 2008 | $4,491,137.24 | -0.08% |
| 2009 | $4,535,375.58 | 0.99% |
| 2010 | $4,513,654.57 | -0.48% |
| 2011 | $4,612,143.50 | 2.18% |
| 2012 | $4,769,037.73 | 3.40% |
| 2013 | $4,812,350.70 | 0.91% |
| 2014 | $4,816,237.88 | 0.08% |
| 2015 | $4,755,361.77 | -1.26% |
| 2016 | $4,760,756.62 | 0.11% |
| 2017 | $4,744,389.53 | -0.34% |
| 2018 | $4,745,991.62 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | $4,685,455.44 | -1.28% |
| 2020 | $4,459,854.08 | -4.81% |
| 2021 | $4,569,916.42 | 2.47% |
| 2022 | $4,799,864.51 | 5.03% |
| 2023 | $4,931,981.49 | 2.75% |
| 2024 | $4,966,125.75 | 0.69% |
| 2025 | $4,984,707.54 | 0.37% |
| 2026 | $4,901,173.61 | -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 |