According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apparel are 211.10% higher in 2026 versus 1955 (a $6,171,837,744.76 difference in value).
Between 1955 and 2026:Apparel experienced an average inflation rate of 1.61% per year. In other words, apparel costing $2,923,706,026 in the year 1955 would cost $9,095,543,770.76 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.58% during this same period, inflation for apparel was lower.
In the year 1955: Pricing changed by -0.31%, which is below the average yearly change for apparel during the 1955-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1955 (-0.28%), inflation for apparel was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Apparel, over time, for $2,923,706,026 beginning in 1955. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1955 | $2,923,706,026.00 | -0.31% |
| 1956 | $2,982,793,749.81 | 2.02% |
| 1957 | $3,033,927,356.95 | 1.71% |
| 1958 | $3,045,858,531.94 | 0.39% |
| 1959 | $3,069,720,881.94 | 0.78% |
| 1960 | $3,115,741,128.37 | 1.50% |
| 1961 | $3,140,171,629.56 | 0.78% |
| 1962 | $3,157,784,316.46 | 0.56% |
| 1963 | $3,196,418,597.41 | 1.22% |
| 1964 | $3,223,689,854.55 | 0.85% |
| 1965 | $3,254,370,018.84 | 0.95% |
| 1966 | $3,341,865,302.16 | 2.69% |
| 1967 | $3,478,221,587.87 | 4.08% |
| 1968 | $3,664,007,027.14 | 5.34% |
| 1969 | $3,874,791,118.80 | 5.75% |
| 1970 | $4,034,441,603.31 | 4.12% |
| 1971 | $4,165,116,377.11 | 3.24% |
| 1972 | $4,251,475,358.06 | 2.07% |
| 1973 | $4,407,148,784.24 | 3.66% |
| 1974 | $4,733,835,718.74 | 7.41% |
| 1975 | $4,944,619,810.39 | 4.45% |
| 1976 | $5,129,837,098.48 | 3.75% |
| 1977 | $5,359,370,179.41 | 4.47% |
| 1978 | $5,547,428,223.45 | 3.51% |
| 1979 | $5,790,596,932.96 | 4.38% |
| 1980 | $6,200,233,941.26 | 7.07% |
| 1981 | $6,495,672,560.29 | 4.76% |
| 1982 | $6,666,117,917.42 | 2.62% |
| 1983 | $6,830,881,762.65 | 2.47% |
| 1984 | $6,956,443,175.74 | 1.84% |
| 1985 | $7,160,409,453.10 | 2.93% |
| 1986 | $7,221,201,630.48 | 0.85% |
| 1987 | $7,538,798,145.94 | 4.40% |
| 1988 | $7,866,053,231.63 | 4.34% |
| 1989 | $8,084,791,439.95 | 2.78% |
| 1990 | $8,459,771,225.64 | 4.64% |
| 1991 | $8,775,095,136.33 | 3.73% |
| 1992 | $8,990,992,588.70 | 2.46% |
| 1993 | $9,112,576,943.45 | 1.35% |
| 1994 | $9,094,964,256.55 | -0.19% |
| 1995 | $8,996,674,100.60 | -1.08% |
| 1996 | $8,979,061,413.70 | -0.20% |
| 1997 | $9,057,466,277.98 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $9,069,397,452.98 | 0.13% |
| 1999 | $8,951,222,005.37 | -1.30% |
| 2000 | $8,834,182,860.14 | -1.31% |
| 2001 | $8,676,804,980.39 | -1.78% |
| 2002 | $8,455,794,167.31 | -2.55% |
| 2003 | $8,241,033,017.32 | -2.54% |
| 2004 | $8,210,921,004.23 | -0.37% |
| 2005 | $8,150,128,826.85 | -0.74% |
| 2006 | $8,143,879,163.76 | -0.08% |
| 2007 | $8,113,079,687.72 | -0.38% |
| 2008 | $8,106,852,750.67 | -0.08% |
| 2009 | $8,186,706,400.49 | 0.99% |
| 2010 | $8,147,498,286.84 | -0.48% |
| 2011 | $8,325,278,475.84 | 2.18% |
| 2012 | $8,608,484,799.74 | 3.40% |
| 2013 | $8,686,668,085.05 | 0.91% |
| 2014 | $8,693,684,752.26 | 0.08% |
| 2015 | $8,583,798,630.51 | -1.26% |
| 2016 | $8,593,536,741.92 | 0.11% |
| 2017 | $8,563,992,880.01 | -0.34% |
| 2018 | $8,566,884,769.57 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | $8,457,612,251.12 | -1.28% |
| 2020 | $8,050,384,203.86 | -4.81% |
| 2021 | $8,249,055,312.13 | 2.47% |
| 2022 | $8,664,129,527.33 | 5.03% |
| 2023 | $8,902,610,989.52 | 2.75% |
| 2024 | $8,964,244,030.65 | 0.69% |
| 2025 | $8,975,896,811.57 | 0.13% |
| 2026 | $9,095,543,770.76 | 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 |