Women's dresses inflation, 1935–2026
Prices are 270.78% higher than in 1935, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Prices are 270.78% higher than in 1935, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for women's dresses are 270.78% higher in 2026 versus 1935 (a $54.16 difference in value).
Between 1935 and 2026, Women's dresses experienced an average inflation rate of 1.45% per year. In other words, women's dresses costing $20 in the year 1935 would cost $74.16 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.56% during this same period, inflation for women's dresses was lower.
The official rate is based on an average household's spending, so your own inflation rate is probably different. The personal inflation calculator works it out from your budget.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Women's dresses, over time, for $20 beginning in 1935. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1935 | $20.00 | - |
| 1936 | $20.07 | 0.36% |
| 1937 | $20.62 | 2.75% |
| 1938 | $20.38 | -1.20% |
| 1939 | $20.32 | -0.25% |
| 1940 | $20.36 | 0.17% |
| 1941 | $21.02 | 3.24% |
| 1942 | $25.26 | 20.19% |
| 1943 | $26.37 | 4.40% |
| 1944 | $28.86 | 9.43% |
| 1945 | $30.44 | 5.49% |
| 1946 | $30.99 | 1.80% |
| 1947 | $35.31 | 13.93% |
| 1948 | $38.15 | 8.05% |
| 1949 | $33.78 | -11.45% |
| 1950 | $29.70 | -12.08% |
| 1951 | $31.99 | 7.71% |
| 1952 | $31.89 | -0.30% |
| 1953 | $32.10 | 0.67% |
| 1954 | $32.21 | 0.32% |
| 1955 | $32.34 | 0.42% |
| 1956 | $32.60 | 0.80% |
| 1957 | $33.00 | 1.23% |
| 1958 | $33.07 | 0.20% |
| 1959 | $33.85 | 2.37% |
| 1960 | $34.03 | 0.52% |
| 1961 | $34.12 | 0.28% |
| 1962 | $34.20 | 0.23% |
| 1963 | $34.45 | 0.73% |
| 1964 | $35.02 | 1.65% |
| 1965 | $35.56 | 1.55% |
| 1966 | $37.36 | 5.06% |
| 1967 | $40.39 | 8.12% |
| 1968 | $45.19 | 11.89% |
| 1969 | $50.03 | 10.70% |
| 1970 | $52.76 | 5.45% |
| 1971 | $52.00 | -1.43% |
| 1972 | $53.03 | 1.97% |
| 1973 | $55.35 | 4.38% |
| 1974 | $57.39 | 3.70% |
| 1975 | $58.78 | 2.41% |
| 1976 | $60.87 | 3.57% |
| 1977 | $63.12 | 3.69% |
| 1978 | $64.57 | 2.30% |
| 1979 | $66.89 | 3.60% |
| 1980 | $66.88 | -0.02% |
| 1981 | $66.93 | 0.08% |
| 1982 | $65.12 | -2.70% |
| 1983 | $67.34 | 3.40% |
| 1984 | $70.45 | 4.63% |
| 1985 | $71.88 | 2.02% |
| 1986 | $71.01 | -1.21% |
| 1987 | $78.85 | 11.04% |
| 1988 | $83.51 | 5.91% |
| 1989 | $83.55 | 0.04% |
| 1990 | $87.28 | 4.47% |
| 1991 | $90.55 | 3.74% |
| 1992 | $90.39 | -0.17% |
| 1993 | $92.09 | 1.88% |
| 1994 | $86.82 | -5.73% |
| 1995 | $82.00 | -5.54% |
| 1996 | $76.10 | -7.20% |
| 1997 | $75.08 | -1.34% |
| 1998 | $76.88 | 2.39% |
| 1999 | $73.12 | -4.89% |
| 2000 | $68.04 | -6.95% |
| 2001 | $66.60 | -2.12% |
| 2002 | $70.25 | 5.48% |
| 2003 | $69.19 | -1.51% |
| 2004 | $68.55 | -0.92% |
| 2005 | $70.10 | 2.26% |
| 2006 | $75.27 | 7.37% |
| 2007 | $76.29 | 1.35% |
| 2008 | $76.26 | -0.04% |
| 2009 | $79.11 | 3.74% |
| 2010 | $75.33 | -4.78% |
| 2011 | $78.62 | 4.37% |
| 2012 | $81.97 | 4.26% |
| 2013 | $82.42 | 0.55% |
| 2014 | $84.84 | 2.93% |
| 2015 | $83.02 | -2.14% |
| 2016 | $81.30 | -2.07% |
| 2017 | $83.23 | 2.37% |
| 2018 | $85.92 | 3.23% |
| 2019 | $78.78 | -8.31% |
| 2020 | $66.14 | -16.05% |
| 2021 | $68.32 | 3.30% |
| 2022 | $71.86 | 5.18% |
| 2023 | $72.49 | 0.87% |
| 2024 | $71.90 | -0.81% |
| 2025 | $72.55 | 0.90% |
| 2026 | $74.16 | 2.21%* |
* 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 dresses:
| 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 | 2026 |
| CPI | 29.570 | 29.675 | 30.492 | 30.125 | 30.050 | 30.100 | 31.075 | 37.350 | 38.992 | 42.667 | 45.008 | 45.817 | 52.200 | 56.400 | 49.942 | 43.908 | 47.292 | 47.150 | 47.467 | 47.617 | 47.817 | 48.200 | 48.792 | 48.892 | 50.050 | 50.308 | 50.450 | 50.567 | 50.933 | 51.775 | 52.575 | 55.233 | 59.717 | 66.817 | 73.967 | 78.000 | 76.883 | 78.400 | 81.833 | 84.858 | 86.900 | 90.000 | 93.317 | 95.467 | 98.900 | 98.883 | 98.958 | 96.283 | 99.558 | 104.167 | 106.275 | 104.992 | 116.583 | 123.475 | 123.525 | 129.050 | 133.875 | 133.642 | 136.158 | 128.358 | 121.242 | 112.517 | 111.008 | 113.667 | 108.108 | 100.600 | 98.467 | 103.867 | 102.300 | 101.358 | 103.650 | 111.292 | 112.797 | 112.748 | 116.963 | 111.375 | 116.246 | 121.196 | 121.864 | 125.433 | 122.750 | 120.207 | 123.058 | 127.034 | 116.481 | 97.790 | 101.016 | 106.246 | 107.174 | 106.311 | 107.268 | 109.641 |