According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apparel are 499.24% higher in 2026 versus 1940 (a $8,736,759.65 difference in value).
Between 1940 and 2026:Apparel experienced an average inflation rate of 2.10% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, apparel costing $1,750,000 in the year 1940 would cost $10,486,759.65 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.72% during this same period, inflation for apparel was lower.
In the year 1940: Pricing changed by 0.85%, which is below the average yearly change for apparel during the 1940-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1940 (0.72%), inflation for apparel was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Apparel, over time, for $1,750,000 beginning in 1940. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | $1,750,000.00 | 0.85% |
| 1941 | $1,830,913.26 | 4.62% |
| 1942 | $2,142,529.61 | 17.02% |
| 1943 | $2,235,479.56 | 4.34% |
| 1944 | $2,391,956.44 | 7.00% |
| 1945 | $2,514,998.09 | 5.14% |
| 1946 | $2,759,743.98 | 9.73% |
| 1947 | $3,198,414.21 | 15.90% |
| 1948 | $3,411,062.29 | 6.65% |
| 1949 | $3,276,652.66 | -3.94% |
| 1950 | $3,232,518.15 | -1.35% |
| 1951 | $3,524,742.07 | 9.04% |
| 1952 | $3,486,625.91 | -1.08% |
| 1953 | $3,464,558.65 | -0.63% |
| 1954 | $3,451,853.27 | -0.37% |
| 1955 | $3,441,153.99 | -0.31% |
| 1956 | $3,510,699.27 | 2.02% |
| 1957 | $3,570,882.69 | 1.71% |
| 1958 | $3,584,925.49 | 0.39% |
| 1959 | $3,613,011.08 | 0.78% |
| 1960 | $3,667,176.16 | 1.50% |
| 1961 | $3,695,930.45 | 0.78% |
| 1962 | $3,716,660.30 | 0.56% |
| 1963 | $3,762,132.21 | 1.22% |
| 1964 | $3,794,230.03 | 0.85% |
| 1965 | $3,830,340.08 | 0.95% |
| 1966 | $3,933,320.60 | 2.69% |
| 1967 | $4,093,809.71 | 4.08% |
| 1968 | $4,312,476.12 | 5.34% |
| 1969 | $4,560,565.53 | 5.75% |
| 1970 | $4,748,471.53 | 4.12% |
| 1971 | $4,902,273.60 | 3.24% |
| 1972 | $5,003,916.70 | 2.07% |
| 1973 | $5,187,141.77 | 3.66% |
| 1974 | $5,571,646.92 | 7.41% |
| 1975 | $5,819,736.34 | 4.45% |
| 1976 | $6,037,734.05 | 3.75% |
| 1977 | $6,307,890.71 | 4.47% |
| 1978 | $6,529,231.94 | 3.51% |
| 1979 | $6,815,437.52 | 4.38% |
| 1980 | $7,297,573.56 | 7.07% |
| 1981 | $7,645,299.96 | 4.76% |
| 1982 | $7,845,911.35 | 2.62% |
| 1983 | $8,039,835.69 | 2.47% |
| 1984 | $8,187,619.41 | 1.84% |
| 1985 | $8,427,684.37 | 2.93% |
| 1986 | $8,499,235.77 | 0.85% |
| 1987 | $8,873,041.65 | 4.40% |
| 1988 | $9,258,215.51 | 4.34% |
| 1989 | $9,515,666.79 | 2.78% |
| 1990 | $9,957,011.85 | 4.64% |
| 1991 | $10,328,142.91 | 3.73% |
| 1992 | $10,582,250.67 | 2.46% |
| 1993 | $10,725,353.46 | 1.35% |
| 1994 | $10,704,623.61 | -0.19% |
| 1995 | $10,588,937.71 | -1.08% |
| 1996 | $10,568,207.87 | -0.20% |
| 1997 | $10,660,489.11 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $10,674,531.91 | 0.13% |
| 1999 | $10,535,441.35 | -1.30% |
| 2000 | $10,397,688.19 | -1.31% |
| 2001 | $10,212,457.01 | -1.78% |
| 2002 | $9,952,330.91 | -2.55% |
| 2003 | $9,699,560.57 | -2.54% |
| 2004 | $9,664,119.22 | -0.37% |
| 2005 | $9,592,567.83 | -0.74% |
| 2006 | $9,585,212.07 | -0.08% |
| 2007 | $9,548,961.60 | -0.38% |
| 2008 | $9,541,632.59 | -0.08% |
| 2009 | $9,635,619.03 | 0.99% |
| 2010 | $9,589,471.72 | -0.48% |
| 2011 | $9,798,716.09 | 2.18% |
| 2012 | $10,132,045.28 | 3.40% |
| 2013 | $10,224,065.72 | 0.91% |
| 2014 | $10,232,324.23 | 0.08% |
| 2015 | $10,102,990.06 | -1.26% |
| 2016 | $10,114,451.66 | 0.11% |
| 2017 | $10,079,679.02 | -0.34% |
| 2018 | $10,083,082.73 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | $9,954,470.77 | -1.28% |
| 2020 | $9,475,170.04 | -4.81% |
| 2021 | $9,709,002.67 | 2.47% |
| 2022 | $10,197,538.21 | 5.03% |
| 2023 | $10,478,226.98 | 2.75% |
| 2024 | $10,550,768.06 | 0.69% |
| 2025 | $10,564,483.19 | 0.13% |
| 2026 | $10,486,759.65 | -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 |