According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for men's and boys' apparel are 377.49% higher in 2024 versus 1942 (a $75.50 difference in value).
Between 1942 and 2024: Men's and boys' apparel experienced an average inflation rate of 1.92% per year. In other words, men's and boys' apparel costing $20 in the year 1942 would cost $95.50 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.67% during this same period, inflation for men's and boys' apparel was lower.
In the year 1942: Pricing changed by 16.38%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for men's and boys' apparel during the 1942-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1942 (10.92%), inflation for men's and boys' apparel was much higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Men's and boys' apparel, over time, for $20 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 | $20.00 | 16.38% |
| 1943 | $20.96 | 4.81% |
| 1944 | $22.00 | 4.95% |
| 1945 | $22.89 | 4.04% |
| 1946 | $26.00 | 13.59% |
| 1947 | $30.80 | 18.47% |
| 1948 | $32.52 | 5.59% |
| 1949 | $31.65 | -2.70% |
| 1950 | $31.47 | -0.56% |
| 1951 | $34.08 | 8.29% |
| 1952 | $34.25 | 0.48% |
| 1953 | $34.01 | -0.68% |
| 1954 | $33.82 | -0.55% |
| 1955 | $33.45 | -1.11% |
| 1956 | $33.98 | 1.60% |
| 1957 | $34.50 | 1.51% |
| 1958 | $34.36 | -0.38% |
| 1959 | $34.32 | -0.12% |
| 1960 | $34.92 | 1.74% |
| 1961 | $35.34 | 1.21% |
| 1962 | $35.56 | 0.60% |
| 1963 | $36.01 | 1.27% |
| 1964 | $36.50 | 1.36% |
| 1965 | $36.93 | 1.20% |
| 1966 | $37.93 | 2.68% |
| 1967 | $39.29 | 3.61% |
| 1968 | $41.54 | 5.71% |
| 1969 | $44.22 | 6.46% |
| 1970 | $46.03 | 4.08% |
| 1971 | $47.29 | 2.75% |
| 1972 | $47.92 | 1.33% |
| 1973 | $49.69 | 3.69% |
| 1974 | $53.62 | 7.92% |
| 1975 | $55.90 | 4.25% |
| 1976 | $57.89 | 3.56% |
| 1977 | $60.55 | 4.59% |
| 1978 | $61.85 | 2.16% |
| 1979 | $63.22 | 2.21% |
| 1980 | $66.23 | 4.76% |
| 1981 | $69.78 | 5.37% |
| 1982 | $72.32 | 3.64% |
| 1983 | $74.27 | 2.69% |
| 1984 | $75.63 | 1.83% |
| 1985 | $77.81 | 2.88% |
| 1986 | $78.66 | 1.09% |
| 1987 | $80.85 | 2.79% |
| 1988 | $83.98 | 3.88% |
| 1989 | $86.63 | 3.15% |
| 1990 | $89.17 | 2.93% |
| 1991 | $92.01 | 3.18% |
| 1992 | $93.70 | 1.85% |
| 1993 | $94.43 | 0.78% |
| 1994 | $93.61 | -0.87% |
| 1995 | $93.50 | -0.12% |
| 1996 | $94.61 | 1.19% |
| 1997 | $96.39 | 1.88% |
| 1998 | $97.64 | 1.29% |
| 1999 | $97.08 | -0.57% |
| 2000 | $96.07 | -1.04% |
| 2001 | $93.09 | -3.10% |
| 2002 | $90.17 | -3.13% |
| 2003 | $87.38 | -3.09% |
| 2004 | $87.00 | -0.44% |
| 2005 | $85.99 | -1.17% |
| 2006 | $84.54 | -1.69% |
| 2007 | $83.24 | -1.54% |
| 2008 | $83.73 | 0.59% |
| 2009 | $84.17 | 0.53% |
| 2010 | $82.90 | -1.51% |
| 2011 | $84.96 | 2.49% |
| 2012 | $88.54 | 4.21% |
| 2013 | $90.07 | 1.73% |
| 2014 | $89.33 | -0.82% |
| 2015 | $88.60 | -0.82% |
| 2016 | $88.02 | -0.65% |
| 2017 | $86.84 | -1.35% |
| 2018 | $87.49 | 0.75% |
| 2019 | $87.81 | 0.37% |
| 2020 | $83.79 | -4.57% |
| 2021 | $85.96 | 2.59% |
| 2022 | $90.70 | 5.51% |
| 2023 | $93.79 | 3.41% |
| 2024 | $95.50 | 1.83%* |
* 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 Men's and boys' apparel:
| Year | 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 |
| CPI | 20.800 | 21.100 | 22.200 | 22.100 | 21.700 | 22.100 | 23.200 | 27.000 | 28.300 | 29.700 | 30.900 | 35.100 | 41.585 | 43.908 | 42.723 | 42.485 | 46.008 | 46.231 | 45.915 | 45.662 | 45.154 | 45.877 | 46.569 | 46.392 | 46.338 | 47.146 | 47.715 | 48.000 | 48.608 | 49.269 | 49.862 | 51.200 | 53.046 | 56.077 | 59.700 | 62.138 | 63.846 | 64.692 | 67.077 | 72.392 | 75.469 | 78.154 | 81.738 | 83.500 | 85.346 | 89.408 | 94.208 | 97.638 | 100.262 | 102.100 | 105.038 | 106.185 | 109.146 | 113.377 | 116.954 | 120.385 | 124.208 | 126.500 | 127.485 | 126.377 | 126.223 | 127.723 | 130.123 | 131.808 | 131.062 | 129.692 | 125.669 | 121.731 | 117.969 | 117.454 | 116.085 | 114.123 | 112.368 | 113.032 | 113.628 | 111.914 | 114.698 | 119.530 | 121.593 | 120.601 | 119.615 | 118.834 | 117.231 | 118.106 | 118.538 | 113.116 | 116.042 | 122.440 | 126.611 | 128.923 |