According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for women's dresses are 253.40% higher in 2026 versus 1937 (a $50.68 difference in value).
Between 1937 and 2026:Women's dresses experienced an average inflation rate of 1.43% per year. In other words, women's dresses costing $20 in the year 1937 would cost $70.68 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.
In the year 1937: Pricing changed by 2.75%, which is above the average yearly change for women's dresses during the 1937-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1937 (3.73%), 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 | 2.75% |
| 1938 | $19.76 | -1.20% |
| 1939 | $19.71 | -0.25% |
| 1940 | $19.74 | 0.17% |
| 1941 | $20.38 | 3.24% |
| 1942 | $24.50 | 20.19% |
| 1943 | $25.58 | 4.40% |
| 1944 | $27.99 | 9.43% |
| 1945 | $29.52 | 5.49% |
| 1946 | $30.05 | 1.80% |
| 1947 | $34.24 | 13.93% |
| 1948 | $36.99 | 8.05% |
| 1949 | $32.76 | -11.45% |
| 1950 | $28.80 | -12.08% |
| 1951 | $31.02 | 7.71% |
| 1952 | $30.93 | -0.30% |
| 1953 | $31.13 | 0.67% |
| 1954 | $31.23 | 0.32% |
| 1955 | $31.36 | 0.42% |
| 1956 | $31.62 | 0.80% |
| 1957 | $32.00 | 1.23% |
| 1958 | $32.07 | 0.20% |
| 1959 | $32.83 | 2.37% |
| 1960 | $33.00 | 0.52% |
| 1961 | $33.09 | 0.28% |
| 1962 | $33.17 | 0.23% |
| 1963 | $33.41 | 0.73% |
| 1964 | $33.96 | 1.65% |
| 1965 | $34.48 | 1.55% |
| 1966 | $36.23 | 5.06% |
| 1967 | $39.17 | 8.12% |
| 1968 | $43.83 | 11.89% |
| 1969 | $48.52 | 10.70% |
| 1970 | $51.16 | 5.45% |
| 1971 | $50.43 | -1.43% |
| 1972 | $51.42 | 1.97% |
| 1973 | $53.68 | 4.38% |
| 1974 | $55.66 | 3.70% |
| 1975 | $57.00 | 2.41% |
| 1976 | $59.03 | 3.57% |
| 1977 | $61.21 | 3.69% |
| 1978 | $62.62 | 2.30% |
| 1979 | $64.87 | 3.60% |
| 1980 | $64.86 | -0.02% |
| 1981 | $64.91 | 0.08% |
| 1982 | $63.15 | -2.70% |
| 1983 | $65.30 | 3.40% |
| 1984 | $68.32 | 4.63% |
| 1985 | $69.71 | 2.02% |
| 1986 | $68.87 | -1.21% |
| 1987 | $76.47 | 11.04% |
| 1988 | $80.99 | 5.91% |
| 1989 | $81.02 | 0.04% |
| 1990 | $84.65 | 4.47% |
| 1991 | $87.81 | 3.74% |
| 1992 | $87.66 | -0.17% |
| 1993 | $89.31 | 1.88% |
| 1994 | $84.19 | -5.73% |
| 1995 | $79.52 | -5.54% |
| 1996 | $73.80 | -7.20% |
| 1997 | $72.81 | -1.34% |
| 1998 | $74.56 | 2.39% |
| 1999 | $70.91 | -4.89% |
| 2000 | $65.99 | -6.95% |
| 2001 | $64.59 | -2.12% |
| 2002 | $68.13 | 5.48% |
| 2003 | $67.10 | -1.51% |
| 2004 | $66.48 | -0.92% |
| 2005 | $67.99 | 2.26% |
| 2006 | $73.00 | 7.37% |
| 2007 | $73.99 | 1.35% |
| 2008 | $73.95 | -0.04% |
| 2009 | $76.72 | 3.74% |
| 2010 | $73.05 | -4.78% |
| 2011 | $76.25 | 4.37% |
| 2012 | $79.49 | 4.26% |
| 2013 | $79.93 | 0.55% |
| 2014 | $82.27 | 2.93% |
| 2015 | $80.51 | -2.14% |
| 2016 | $78.85 | -2.07% |
| 2017 | $80.72 | 2.37% |
| 2018 | $83.32 | 3.23% |
| 2019 | $76.40 | -8.31% |
| 2020 | $64.14 | -16.05% |
| 2021 | $66.26 | 3.30% |
| 2022 | $69.69 | 5.18% |
| 2023 | $70.30 | 0.87% |
| 2024 | $69.73 | -0.81% |
| 2025 | $70.83 | 1.58% |
| 2026 | $70.68 | -0.21%* |
* 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 | 107.989 | 107.759 |