According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for men's and boys' apparel are 57.34% higher in 2025 versus 1978 (a $11.47 difference in value).
Between 1978 and 2025: Men's and boys' apparel experienced an average inflation rate of 0.97% per year. In other words, men's and boys' apparel costing $20 in the year 1978 would cost $31.47 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.43% during this same period, inflation for men's and boys' apparel was lower.
In the year 1978: Pricing changed by 2.16%, which is above the average yearly change for men's and boys' apparel during the 1978-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1978 (7.63%), inflation for men's and boys' apparel was much lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Men's and boys' apparel, over time, for $20 beginning in 1978. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | $20.00 | 2.16% |
| 1979 | $20.44 | 2.21% |
| 1980 | $21.42 | 4.76% |
| 1981 | $22.56 | 5.37% |
| 1982 | $23.39 | 3.64% |
| 1983 | $24.01 | 2.69% |
| 1984 | $24.46 | 1.83% |
| 1985 | $25.16 | 2.88% |
| 1986 | $25.43 | 1.09% |
| 1987 | $26.14 | 2.79% |
| 1988 | $27.16 | 3.88% |
| 1989 | $28.01 | 3.15% |
| 1990 | $28.83 | 2.93% |
| 1991 | $29.75 | 3.18% |
| 1992 | $30.30 | 1.85% |
| 1993 | $30.54 | 0.78% |
| 1994 | $30.27 | -0.87% |
| 1995 | $30.23 | -0.12% |
| 1996 | $30.59 | 1.19% |
| 1997 | $31.17 | 1.88% |
| 1998 | $31.57 | 1.29% |
| 1999 | $31.39 | -0.57% |
| 2000 | $31.06 | -1.04% |
| 2001 | $30.10 | -3.10% |
| 2002 | $29.16 | -3.13% |
| 2003 | $28.26 | -3.09% |
| 2004 | $28.13 | -0.44% |
| 2005 | $27.80 | -1.17% |
| 2006 | $27.33 | -1.69% |
| 2007 | $26.91 | -1.54% |
| 2008 | $27.07 | 0.59% |
| 2009 | $27.22 | 0.53% |
| 2010 | $26.81 | -1.51% |
| 2011 | $27.47 | 2.49% |
| 2012 | $28.63 | 4.21% |
| 2013 | $29.12 | 1.73% |
| 2014 | $28.89 | -0.82% |
| 2015 | $28.65 | -0.82% |
| 2016 | $28.46 | -0.65% |
| 2017 | $28.08 | -1.35% |
| 2018 | $28.29 | 0.75% |
| 2019 | $28.39 | 0.37% |
| 2020 | $27.09 | -4.57% |
| 2021 | $27.79 | 2.59% |
| 2022 | $29.33 | 5.51% |
| 2023 | $30.33 | 3.41% |
| 2024 | $30.76 | 1.42% |
| 2025 | $31.47 | 2.31%* |
* 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 | 2025 |
| 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 | 128.414 | 131.378 |