According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apparel are 386% higher in 2026 versus 1942 (a $2,933,628.46 difference in value).
Between 1942 and 2026: Apparel experienced an average inflation rate of 1.90% per year. In other words, apparel costing $760,000 in the year 1942 would cost $3,693,628.46 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.62% during this same period, inflation for apparel was lower.
In the year 1942: Pricing changed by 17.02%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for apparel during the 1942-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1942 (10.92%), inflation for apparel was much higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Apparel, over time, for $760,000 beginning in 1942. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1942 | $760,000.00 | 17.02% |
| 1943 | $792,971.29 | 4.34% |
| 1944 | $848,476.90 | 7.00% |
| 1945 | $892,122.35 | 5.14% |
| 1946 | $978,938.83 | 9.73% |
| 1947 | $1,134,544.32 | 15.90% |
| 1948 | $1,209,975.03 | 6.65% |
| 1949 | $1,162,297.13 | -3.94% |
| 1950 | $1,146,641.70 | -1.35% |
| 1951 | $1,250,299.63 | 9.04% |
| 1952 | $1,236,779.03 | -1.08% |
| 1953 | $1,228,951.31 | -0.63% |
| 1954 | $1,224,444.44 | -0.37% |
| 1955 | $1,220,649.19 | -0.31% |
| 1956 | $1,245,318.35 | 2.02% |
| 1957 | $1,266,666.67 | 1.71% |
| 1958 | $1,271,647.94 | 0.39% |
| 1959 | $1,281,610.49 | 0.78% |
| 1960 | $1,300,823.97 | 1.50% |
| 1961 | $1,311,023.72 | 0.78% |
| 1962 | $1,318,377.03 | 0.56% |
| 1963 | $1,334,506.87 | 1.22% |
| 1964 | $1,345,892.63 | 0.85% |
| 1965 | $1,358,701.62 | 0.95% |
| 1966 | $1,395,230.96 | 2.69% |
| 1967 | $1,452,159.80 | 4.08% |
| 1968 | $1,529,725.34 | 5.34% |
| 1969 | $1,617,727.84 | 5.75% |
| 1970 | $1,684,382.02 | 4.12% |
| 1971 | $1,738,938.83 | 3.24% |
| 1972 | $1,774,993.76 | 2.07% |
| 1973 | $1,839,987.52 | 3.66% |
| 1974 | $1,976,379.53 | 7.41% |
| 1975 | $2,064,382.02 | 4.45% |
| 1976 | $2,141,710.36 | 3.75% |
| 1977 | $2,237,540.57 | 4.47% |
| 1978 | $2,316,054.93 | 3.51% |
| 1979 | $2,417,578.03 | 4.38% |
| 1980 | $2,588,601.75 | 7.07% |
| 1981 | $2,711,947.57 | 4.76% |
| 1982 | $2,783,108.61 | 2.62% |
| 1983 | $2,851,897.63 | 2.47% |
| 1984 | $2,904,319.60 | 1.84% |
| 1985 | $2,989,475.66 | 2.93% |
| 1986 | $3,014,856.43 | 0.85% |
| 1987 | $3,147,453.18 | 4.40% |
| 1988 | $3,284,082.40 | 4.34% |
| 1989 | $3,375,405.74 | 2.78% |
| 1990 | $3,531,960.05 | 4.64% |
| 1991 | $3,663,607.99 | 3.73% |
| 1992 | $3,753,745.32 | 2.46% |
| 1993 | $3,804,506.87 | 1.35% |
| 1994 | $3,797,153.56 | -0.19% |
| 1995 | $3,756,117.35 | -1.08% |
| 1996 | $3,748,764.04 | -0.20% |
| 1997 | $3,781,498.13 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $3,786,479.40 | 0.13% |
| 1999 | $3,737,141.07 | -1.30% |
| 2000 | $3,688,277.15 | -1.31% |
| 2001 | $3,622,571.79 | -1.78% |
| 2002 | $3,530,299.63 | -2.55% |
| 2003 | $3,440,636.70 | -2.54% |
| 2004 | $3,428,064.92 | -0.37% |
| 2005 | $3,402,684.14 | -0.74% |
| 2006 | $3,400,074.91 | -0.08% |
| 2007 | $3,387,216.10 | -0.38% |
| 2008 | $3,384,616.35 | -0.08% |
| 2009 | $3,417,955.31 | 0.99% |
| 2010 | $3,401,585.89 | -0.48% |
| 2011 | $3,475,809.24 | 2.18% |
| 2012 | $3,594,048.06 | 3.40% |
| 2013 | $3,626,689.64 | 0.91% |
| 2014 | $3,629,619.10 | 0.08% |
| 2015 | $3,583,741.57 | -1.26% |
| 2016 | $3,587,807.24 | 0.11% |
| 2017 | $3,575,472.66 | -0.34% |
| 2018 | $3,576,680.02 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | $3,531,058.68 | -1.28% |
| 2020 | $3,361,040.70 | -4.81% |
| 2021 | $3,443,986.02 | 2.47% |
| 2022 | $3,617,279.78 | 5.03% |
| 2023 | $3,716,845.94 | 2.75% |
| 2024 | $3,742,577.78 | 0.69% |
| 2025 | $3,756,581.41 | 0.37% |
| 2026 | $3,693,628.46 | -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 |