According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for women's and girls' apparel are 91.26% higher in 2026 versus 1949 (a $18.25 difference in value).
Between 1949 and 2026:Women's and girls' apparel experienced an average inflation rate of 0.85% per year. In other words, women's and girls' apparel costing $20 in the year 1949 would cost $38.25 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.45% during this same period, inflation for women's and girls' apparel was lower.
In the year 1949: Pricing changed by -5.52%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for women's and girls' apparel during the 1949-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1949 (-0.97%), inflation for women's and girls' apparel was much lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Women's and girls' apparel, over time, for $20 beginning in 1949. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1949 | $20.00 | -5.52% |
| 1950 | $19.33 | -3.34% |
| 1951 | $20.81 | 7.67% |
| 1952 | $20.57 | -1.19% |
| 1953 | $20.33 | -1.16% |
| 1954 | $20.16 | -0.81% |
| 1955 | $19.98 | -0.91% |
| 1956 | $20.12 | 0.72% |
| 1957 | $20.23 | 0.54% |
| 1958 | $20.19 | -0.18% |
| 1959 | $20.27 | 0.39% |
| 1960 | $20.37 | 0.49% |
| 1961 | $20.45 | 0.37% |
| 1962 | $20.43 | -0.10% |
| 1963 | $20.60 | 0.84% |
| 1964 | $20.69 | 0.47% |
| 1965 | $20.87 | 0.84% |
| 1966 | $21.27 | 1.95% |
| 1967 | $22.24 | 4.53% |
| 1968 | $23.55 | 5.90% |
| 1969 | $24.85 | 5.53% |
| 1970 | $25.81 | 3.87% |
| 1971 | $26.72 | 3.51% |
| 1972 | $27.36 | 2.41% |
| 1973 | $28.31 | 3.48% |
| 1974 | $30.01 | 6.01% |
| 1975 | $30.72 | 2.33% |
| 1976 | $31.57 | 2.78% |
| 1977 | $32.57 | 3.16% |
| 1978 | $33.20 | 1.95% |
| 1979 | $33.79 | 1.78% |
| 1980 | $34.50 | 2.10% |
| 1981 | $35.03 | 1.54% |
| 1982 | $35.38 | 0.99% |
| 1983 | $36.01 | 1.77% |
| 1984 | $36.40 | 1.09% |
| 1985 | $37.71 | 3.59% |
| 1986 | $37.36 | -0.92% |
| 1987 | $39.66 | 6.16% |
| 1988 | $41.28 | 4.08% |
| 1989 | $41.83 | 1.33% |
| 1990 | $44.03 | 5.27% |
| 1991 | $45.83 | 4.07% |
| 1992 | $46.84 | 2.21% |
| 1993 | $47.63 | 1.68% |
| 1994 | $47.04 | -1.22% |
| 1995 | $45.60 | -3.08% |
| 1996 | $44.79 | -1.77% |
| 1997 | $45.31 | 1.16% |
| 1998 | $45.26 | -0.10% |
| 1999 | $44.29 | -2.14% |
| 2000 | $43.66 | -1.43% |
| 2001 | $42.86 | -1.84% |
| 2002 | $41.61 | -2.91% |
| 2003 | $40.62 | -2.38% |
| 2004 | $40.58 | -0.09% |
| 2005 | $39.81 | -1.92% |
| 2006 | $39.77 | -0.08% |
| 2007 | $39.63 | -0.37% |
| 2008 | $38.61 | -2.57% |
| 2009 | $38.84 | 0.59% |
| 2010 | $38.47 | -0.94% |
| 2011 | $39.22 | 1.95% |
| 2012 | $40.60 | 3.50% |
| 2013 | $40.72 | 0.31% |
| 2014 | $41.09 | 0.90% |
| 2015 | $39.96 | -2.75% |
| 2016 | $39.97 | 0.02% |
| 2017 | $39.89 | -0.20% |
| 2018 | $39.68 | -0.52% |
| 2019 | $38.35 | -3.35% |
| 2020 | $35.83 | -6.57% |
| 2021 | $36.27 | 1.22% |
| 2022 | $38.10 | 5.04% |
| 2023 | $39.26 | 3.07% |
| 2024 | $39.42 | 0.41% |
| 2025 | $39.28 | -0.37% |
| 2026 | $38.25 | -2.62%* |
* 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 Women's and girls' apparel:
| Year | 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 | 55.625 | 58.917 | 55.667 | 53.808 | 57.933 | 57.242 | 56.575 | 56.117 | 55.608 | 56.008 | 56.308 | 56.208 | 56.425 | 56.700 | 56.908 | 56.850 | 57.325 | 57.592 | 58.075 | 59.208 | 61.892 | 65.542 | 69.167 | 71.842 | 74.367 | 76.158 | 78.808 | 83.542 | 85.492 | 87.867 | 90.642 | 92.408 | 94.050 | 96.025 | 97.508 | 98.475 | 100.217 | 101.308 | 104.950 | 103.983 | 110.392 | 114.892 | 116.425 | 122.558 | 127.550 | 130.367 | 132.558 | 130.942 | 126.908 | 124.658 | 126.100 | 125.975 | 123.283 | 121.525 | 119.283 | 115.817 | 113.058 | 112.958 | 110.792 | 110.700 | 110.296 | 107.460 | 108.091 | 107.081 | 109.166 | 112.990 | 113.338 | 114.362 | 111.214 | 111.240 | 111.023 | 110.442 | 106.747 | 99.729 | 100.941 | 106.033 | 109.286 | 109.733 | 109.330 | 106.470 |