According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apparel are 204.75% higher in 2026 versus 1955 (a $77,803,264,671.59 difference in value).
Between 1955 and 2026:Apparel experienced an average inflation rate of 1.58% per year. In other words, apparel costing $38,000,000,000 in the year 1955 would cost $115,803,264,671.59 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 $38,000,000,000 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 | $38,000,000,000.00 | -0.31% |
| 1956 | $38,767,975,126.31 | 2.02% |
| 1957 | $39,432,568,985.62 | 1.71% |
| 1958 | $39,587,640,886.13 | 0.39% |
| 1959 | $39,897,784,687.14 | 0.78% |
| 1960 | $40,495,919,160.51 | 1.50% |
| 1961 | $40,813,447,337.74 | 0.78% |
| 1962 | $41,042,363,000.39 | 0.56% |
| 1963 | $41,544,500,582.98 | 1.22% |
| 1964 | $41,898,950,641.27 | 0.85% |
| 1965 | $42,297,706,956.86 | 0.95% |
| 1966 | $43,434,900,893.90 | 2.69% |
| 1967 | $45,207,151,185.39 | 4.08% |
| 1968 | $47,621,842,207.54 | 5.34% |
| 1969 | $50,361,445,783.13 | 5.75% |
| 1970 | $52,436,455,499.42 | 4.12% |
| 1971 | $54,134,862,028.76 | 3.24% |
| 1972 | $55,257,287,213.37 | 2.07% |
| 1973 | $57,280,606,296.15 | 3.66% |
| 1974 | $61,526,622,619.51 | 7.41% |
| 1975 | $64,266,226,195.10 | 4.45% |
| 1976 | $66,673,532,841.04 | 3.75% |
| 1977 | $69,656,820,831.71 | 4.47% |
| 1978 | $72,101,049,358.73 | 3.51% |
| 1979 | $75,261,562,378.55 | 4.38% |
| 1980 | $80,585,697,629.23 | 7.07% |
| 1981 | $84,425,573,260.79 | 4.76% |
| 1982 | $86,640,886,125.15 | 2.62% |
| 1983 | $88,782,355,227.36 | 2.47% |
| 1984 | $90,414,302,370.77 | 1.84% |
| 1985 | $93,065,293,431.79 | 2.93% |
| 1986 | $93,855,421,686.75 | 0.85% |
| 1987 | $97,983,287,990.67 | 4.40% |
| 1988 | $102,236,688,690.24 | 4.34% |
| 1989 | $105,079,673,532.84 | 2.78% |
| 1990 | $109,953,361,834.43 | 4.64% |
| 1991 | $114,051,690,633.50 | 3.73% |
| 1992 | $116,857,753,595.03 | 2.46% |
| 1993 | $118,438,010,104.94 | 1.35% |
| 1994 | $118,209,094,442.29 | -0.19% |
| 1995 | $116,931,597,357.17 | -1.08% |
| 1996 | $116,702,681,694.52 | -0.20% |
| 1997 | $117,721,725,612.13 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $117,876,797,512.63 | 0.13% |
| 1999 | $116,340,847,260.01 | -1.30% |
| 2000 | $114,819,665,759.81 | -1.31% |
| 2001 | $112,774,193,548.39 | -1.78% |
| 2002 | $109,901,671,200.93 | -2.55% |
| 2003 | $107,110,376,991.84 | -2.54% |
| 2004 | $106,719,005,052.47 | -0.37% |
| 2005 | $105,928,876,797.51 | -0.74% |
| 2006 | $105,847,648,659.15 | -0.08% |
| 2007 | $105,447,341,624.56 | -0.38% |
| 2008 | $105,366,408,861.25 | -0.08% |
| 2009 | $106,404,282,938.20 | 0.99% |
| 2010 | $105,894,687,135.64 | -0.48% |
| 2011 | $108,205,332,296.93 | 2.18% |
| 2012 | $111,886,222,308.59 | 3.40% |
| 2013 | $112,902,386,319.47 | 0.91% |
| 2014 | $112,993,583,365.72 | 0.08% |
| 2015 | $111,565,371,162.07 | -1.26% |
| 2016 | $111,691,939,370.38 | 0.11% |
| 2017 | $111,307,951,807.23 | -0.34% |
| 2018 | $111,345,538,282.16 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | $109,925,301,204.82 | -1.28% |
| 2020 | $104,632,475,709.29 | -4.81% |
| 2021 | $107,214,644,383.99 | 2.47% |
| 2022 | $112,609,448,115.04 | 5.03% |
| 2023 | $115,709,040,031.09 | 2.75% |
| 2024 | $116,510,097,162.84 | 0.69% |
| 2025 | $116,661,550,719.01 | 0.13% |
| 2026 | $115,803,264,671.59 | -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 |