According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apparel are 224.41% higher in 2026 versus 1950 (a $316,424,534,546.96 difference in value).
Between 1950 and 2026:Apparel experienced an average inflation rate of 1.56% per year. In other words, apparel costing $141,000,000,000 in the year 1950 would cost $457,424,534,546.96 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.49% during this same period, inflation for apparel was lower.
In the year 1950: Pricing changed by -1.35%, which is below the average yearly change for apparel during the 1950-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1950 (1.09%), inflation for apparel was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Apparel, over time, for $141,000,000,000 beginning in 1950. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | $141,000,000,000.00 | -1.35% |
| 1951 | $153,746,586,677.70 | 9.04% |
| 1952 | $152,083,988,415.39 | -1.08% |
| 1953 | $151,121,431,526.69 | -0.63% |
| 1954 | $150,567,232,105.92 | -0.37% |
| 1955 | $150,100,537,856.85 | -0.31% |
| 1956 | $153,134,050,475.80 | 2.02% |
| 1957 | $155,759,205,626.81 | 1.71% |
| 1958 | $156,371,741,828.71 | 0.39% |
| 1959 | $157,596,814,232.52 | 0.78% |
| 1960 | $159,959,453,868.43 | 1.50% |
| 1961 | $161,213,694,662.81 | 0.78% |
| 1962 | $162,117,914,770.38 | 0.56% |
| 1963 | $164,101,365,328.92 | 1.22% |
| 1964 | $165,501,448,076.13 | 0.85% |
| 1965 | $167,076,541,166.74 | 0.95% |
| 1966 | $171,568,473,314.03 | 2.69% |
| 1967 | $178,568,887,050.06 | 4.08% |
| 1968 | $188,106,950,765.41 | 5.34% |
| 1969 | $198,928,423,665.70 | 5.75% |
| 1970 | $207,124,741,414.98 | 4.12% |
| 1971 | $213,833,471,245.35 | 3.24% |
| 1972 | $218,267,066,611.50 | 2.07% |
| 1973 | $226,259,205,626.81 | 3.66% |
| 1974 | $243,031,030,202.73 | 7.41% |
| 1975 | $253,852,503,103.02 | 4.45% |
| 1976 | $263,361,398,427.80 | 3.75% |
| 1977 | $275,145,428,216.80 | 4.47% |
| 1978 | $284,800,165,494.41 | 3.51% |
| 1979 | $297,284,236,657.01 | 4.38% |
| 1980 | $318,314,646,255.69 | 7.07% |
| 1981 | $333,482,209,350.43 | 4.76% |
| 1982 | $342,232,726,520.48 | 2.62% |
| 1983 | $350,691,559,784.86 | 2.47% |
| 1984 | $357,137,774,100.12 | 1.84% |
| 1985 | $367,609,226,313.61 | 2.93% |
| 1986 | $370,730,244,104.26 | 0.85% |
| 1987 | $387,035,374,431.11 | 4.40% |
| 1988 | $403,836,367,397.60 | 4.34% |
| 1989 | $415,066,197,765.83 | 2.78% |
| 1990 | $434,317,335,539.93 | 4.64% |
| 1991 | $450,505,792,304.51 | 3.73% |
| 1992 | $461,589,780,719.90 | 2.46% |
| 1993 | $467,831,816,301.20 | 1.35% |
| 1994 | $466,927,596,193.63 | -0.19% |
| 1995 | $461,881,464,625.57 | -1.08% |
| 1996 | $460,977,244,518.00 | -0.20% |
| 1997 | $465,002,482,416.22 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $465,615,018,618.12 | 0.13% |
| 1999 | $459,547,993,380.22 | -1.30% |
| 2000 | $453,539,304,923.46 | -1.31% |
| 2001 | $445,459,660,736.45 | -1.78% |
| 2002 | $434,113,156,805.96 | -2.55% |
| 2003 | $423,087,505,171.70 | -2.54% |
| 2004 | $421,541,580,471.66 | -0.37% |
| 2005 | $418,420,562,681.01 | -0.74% |
| 2006 | $418,099,710,384.77 | -0.08% |
| 2007 | $416,518,491,932.15 | -0.38% |
| 2008 | $416,198,806,371.54 | -0.08% |
| 2009 | $420,298,423,665.70 | 0.99% |
| 2010 | $418,285,513,032.69 | -0.48% |
| 2011 | $427,412,594,124.95 | 2.18% |
| 2012 | $441,952,161,770.79 | 3.40% |
| 2013 | $445,966,023,996.69 | 0.91% |
| 2014 | $446,326,253,620.19 | 0.08% |
| 2015 | $440,684,795,200.66 | -1.26% |
| 2016 | $441,184,741,414.98 | 0.11% |
| 2017 | $439,667,985,105.50 | -0.34% |
| 2018 | $439,816,452,213.49 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | $434,206,495,655.77 | -1.28% |
| 2020 | $413,299,760,033.10 | -4.81% |
| 2021 | $423,499,362,846.50 | 2.47% |
| 2022 | $444,808,913,942.90 | 5.03% |
| 2023 | $457,052,345,883.33 | 2.75% |
| 2024 | $460,216,532,892.01 | 0.69% |
| 2025 | $460,814,776,582.54 | 0.13% |
| 2026 | $457,424,534,546.96 | -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 |