According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for women's dresses are 248.53% higher in 2024 versus 1937 (a $49.71 difference in value).
Between 1937 and 2024: Women's dresses experienced an average inflation rate of 1.45% per year. In other words, women's dresses costing $20 in the year 1937 would cost $69.71 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.61% during this same period, inflation for women's dresses was lower.
In the year 1937: Pricing changed by 3.35%, which is above the average yearly change for women's dresses during the 1937-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1937 (3.72%), inflation for women's dresses was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Women's dresses, over time, for $20 beginning in 1937. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1937 | $20.00 | 3.35% |
| 1938 | $19.58 | -2.09% |
| 1939 | $19.61 | 0.13% |
| 1940 | $19.63 | 0.13% |
| 1941 | $20.27 | 3.25% |
| 1942 | $24.37 | 20.20% |
| 1943 | $25.44 | 4.39% |
| 1944 | $27.83 | 9.43% |
| 1945 | $29.36 | 5.48% |
| 1946 | $29.89 | 1.81% |
| 1947 | $34.01 | 13.78% |
| 1948 | $37.09 | 9.06% |
| 1949 | $31.19 | -15.90% |
| 1950 | $28.95 | -7.20% |
| 1951 | $31.01 | 7.13% |
| 1952 | $30.92 | -0.29% |
| 1953 | $31.01 | 0.30% |
| 1954 | $31.02 | 0.04% |
| 1955 | $31.27 | 0.80% |
| 1956 | $31.56 | 0.92% |
| 1957 | $31.74 | 0.58% |
| 1958 | $31.96 | 0.70% |
| 1959 | $32.73 | 2.41% |
| 1960 | $32.80 | 0.20% |
| 1961 | $32.93 | 0.40% |
| 1962 | $33.01 | 0.24% |
| 1963 | $33.24 | 0.71% |
| 1964 | $33.99 | 2.24% |
| 1965 | $34.64 | 1.92% |
| 1966 | $36.33 | 4.90% |
| 1967 | $39.62 | 9.05% |
| 1968 | $44.36 | 11.95% |
| 1969 | $48.25 | 8.78% |
| 1970 | $50.88 | 5.45% |
| 1971 | $50.15 | -1.43% |
| 1972 | $51.14 | 1.97% |
| 1973 | $53.38 | 4.39% |
| 1974 | $55.36 | 3.69% |
| 1975 | $56.69 | 2.40% |
| 1976 | $58.71 | 3.57% |
| 1977 | $60.87 | 3.68% |
| 1978 | $62.28 | 2.31% |
| 1979 | $64.51 | 3.59% |
| 1980 | $64.50 | -0.02% |
| 1981 | $64.55 | 0.08% |
| 1982 | $62.81 | -2.71% |
| 1983 | $64.95 | 3.40% |
| 1984 | $67.95 | 4.63% |
| 1985 | $69.33 | 2.02% |
| 1986 | $68.49 | -1.21% |
| 1987 | $76.05 | 11.04% |
| 1988 | $80.55 | 5.91% |
| 1989 | $80.58 | 0.04% |
| 1990 | $84.18 | 4.48% |
| 1991 | $87.33 | 3.74% |
| 1992 | $87.17 | -0.18% |
| 1993 | $88.82 | 1.89% |
| 1994 | $83.73 | -5.73% |
| 1995 | $79.09 | -5.55% |
| 1996 | $73.40 | -7.19% |
| 1997 | $72.41 | -1.34% |
| 1998 | $74.15 | 2.40% |
| 1999 | $70.52 | -4.89% |
| 2000 | $65.62 | -6.94% |
| 2001 | $64.23 | -2.12% |
| 2002 | $67.76 | 5.48% |
| 2003 | $66.73 | -1.51% |
| 2004 | $66.12 | -0.92% |
| 2005 | $67.62 | 2.26% |
| 2006 | $72.60 | 7.37% |
| 2007 | $73.58 | 1.35% |
| 2008 | $73.55 | -0.04% |
| 2009 | $76.30 | 3.74% |
| 2010 | $72.65 | -4.78% |
| 2011 | $75.83 | 4.37% |
| 2012 | $79.06 | 4.26% |
| 2013 | $79.49 | 0.55% |
| 2014 | $81.82 | 2.93% |
| 2015 | $80.07 | -2.14% |
| 2016 | $78.41 | -2.07% |
| 2017 | $80.27 | 2.37% |
| 2018 | $82.87 | 3.23% |
| 2019 | $75.98 | -8.31% |
| 2020 | $63.79 | -16.05% |
| 2021 | $65.89 | 3.30% |
| 2022 | $69.31 | 5.18% |
| 2023 | $69.91 | 0.87% |
| 2024 | $69.71 | -0.29%* |
* 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 |
| CPI | 29.575 | 29.667 | 30.660 | 30.020 | 30.060 | 30.100 | 31.077 | 37.354 | 38.992 | 42.669 | 45.008 | 45.823 | 52.138 | 56.860 | 47.820 | 44.375 | 47.540 | 47.400 | 47.540 | 47.560 | 47.940 | 48.380 | 48.660 | 49.000 | 50.180 | 50.280 | 50.480 | 50.600 | 50.960 | 52.100 | 53.100 | 55.700 | 60.740 | 68.000 | 73.969 | 78.000 | 76.885 | 78.400 | 81.838 | 84.862 | 86.900 | 90.000 | 93.315 | 95.469 | 98.900 | 98.885 | 98.962 | 96.285 | 99.562 | 104.169 | 106.277 | 104.992 | 116.585 | 123.477 | 123.523 | 129.054 | 133.877 | 133.638 | 136.162 | 128.362 | 121.238 | 112.515 | 111.008 | 113.669 | 108.108 | 100.600 | 98.469 | 103.869 | 102.300 | 101.362 | 103.654 | 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 | 106.860 |