According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for women's and girls' apparel are 19.49% higher in 2024 versus 1978 (a $3.90 difference in value).
Between 1978 and 2024: Women's and girls' apparel experienced an average inflation rate of 0.39% per year. In other words, women's and girls' apparel costing $20 in the year 1978 would cost $23.90 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.47% during this same period, inflation for women's and girls' apparel was significantly lower.
In the year 1978: Pricing changed by 1.95%, which is above the average yearly change for women's and girls' apparel during the 1978-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1978 (7.63%), 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 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 | 1.95% |
| 1979 | $20.35 | 1.77% |
| 1980 | $20.78 | 2.10% |
| 1981 | $21.10 | 1.55% |
| 1982 | $21.31 | 0.99% |
| 1983 | $21.69 | 1.77% |
| 1984 | $21.93 | 1.09% |
| 1985 | $22.71 | 3.59% |
| 1986 | $22.51 | -0.92% |
| 1987 | $23.89 | 6.16% |
| 1988 | $24.87 | 4.08% |
| 1989 | $25.20 | 1.33% |
| 1990 | $26.53 | 5.27% |
| 1991 | $27.61 | 4.07% |
| 1992 | $28.22 | 2.21% |
| 1993 | $28.69 | 1.68% |
| 1994 | $28.34 | -1.22% |
| 1995 | $27.47 | -3.08% |
| 1996 | $26.98 | -1.77% |
| 1997 | $27.29 | 1.15% |
| 1998 | $27.27 | -0.10% |
| 1999 | $26.68 | -2.14% |
| 2000 | $26.30 | -1.43% |
| 2001 | $25.82 | -1.84% |
| 2002 | $25.07 | -2.91% |
| 2003 | $24.47 | -2.38% |
| 2004 | $24.45 | -0.09% |
| 2005 | $23.98 | -1.92% |
| 2006 | $23.96 | -0.08% |
| 2007 | $23.87 | -0.37% |
| 2008 | $23.26 | -2.57% |
| 2009 | $23.39 | 0.59% |
| 2010 | $23.18 | -0.94% |
| 2011 | $23.63 | 1.95% |
| 2012 | $24.45 | 3.50% |
| 2013 | $24.53 | 0.31% |
| 2014 | $24.75 | 0.90% |
| 2015 | $24.07 | -2.75% |
| 2016 | $24.08 | 0.02% |
| 2017 | $24.03 | -0.20% |
| 2018 | $23.90 | -0.52% |
| 2019 | $23.10 | -3.35% |
| 2020 | $21.58 | -6.57% |
| 2021 | $21.85 | 1.22% |
| 2022 | $22.95 | 5.04% |
| 2023 | $23.65 | 3.07% |
| 2024 | $23.90 | 1.04%* |
* 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 | 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 | 29.800 | 30.100 | 31.600 | 31.400 | 31.000 | 31.200 | 32.600 | 37.700 | 39.400 | 42.400 | 44.700 | 48.000 | 55.623 | 58.915 | 55.669 | 53.808 | 57.931 | 57.238 | 56.577 | 56.115 | 55.608 | 56.008 | 56.308 | 56.208 | 56.431 | 56.700 | 56.908 | 56.846 | 57.323 | 57.592 | 58.077 | 59.208 | 61.892 | 65.546 | 69.169 | 71.838 | 74.369 | 76.162 | 78.808 | 83.538 | 85.492 | 87.869 | 90.638 | 92.408 | 94.046 | 96.023 | 97.508 | 98.477 | 100.215 | 101.308 | 104.946 | 103.985 | 110.392 | 114.892 | 116.423 | 122.562 | 127.554 | 130.369 | 132.562 | 130.938 | 126.908 | 124.662 | 126.100 | 125.977 | 123.285 | 121.523 | 119.285 | 115.815 | 113.062 | 112.962 | 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 | 110.419 |