According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for women's dresses are 257.56% higher in 2024 versus 1938 (a $51.51 difference in value).
Between 1938 and 2024: Women's dresses experienced an average inflation rate of 1.49% per year. In other words, women's dresses costing $20 in the year 1938 would cost $71.51 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.67% during this same period, inflation for women's dresses was lower.
In the year 1938: Pricing changed by -2.09%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for women's dresses during the 1938-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1938 (-2.03%), inflation for women's dresses was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Women's dresses, over time, for $20 beginning in 1938. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1938 | $20.00 | -2.09% |
| 1939 | $20.03 | 0.13% |
| 1940 | $20.05 | 0.13% |
| 1941 | $20.70 | 3.25% |
| 1942 | $24.89 | 20.20% |
| 1943 | $25.98 | 4.39% |
| 1944 | $28.43 | 9.43% |
| 1945 | $29.99 | 5.48% |
| 1946 | $30.53 | 1.81% |
| 1947 | $34.74 | 13.78% |
| 1948 | $37.88 | 9.06% |
| 1949 | $31.86 | -15.90% |
| 1950 | $29.56 | -7.20% |
| 1951 | $31.67 | 7.13% |
| 1952 | $31.58 | -0.29% |
| 1953 | $31.67 | 0.30% |
| 1954 | $31.69 | 0.04% |
| 1955 | $31.94 | 0.80% |
| 1956 | $32.23 | 0.92% |
| 1957 | $32.42 | 0.58% |
| 1958 | $32.64 | 0.70% |
| 1959 | $33.43 | 2.41% |
| 1960 | $33.50 | 0.20% |
| 1961 | $33.63 | 0.40% |
| 1962 | $33.71 | 0.24% |
| 1963 | $33.95 | 0.71% |
| 1964 | $34.71 | 2.24% |
| 1965 | $35.38 | 1.92% |
| 1966 | $37.11 | 4.90% |
| 1967 | $40.47 | 9.05% |
| 1968 | $45.30 | 11.95% |
| 1969 | $49.28 | 8.78% |
| 1970 | $51.97 | 5.45% |
| 1971 | $51.22 | -1.43% |
| 1972 | $52.23 | 1.97% |
| 1973 | $54.52 | 4.39% |
| 1974 | $56.54 | 3.69% |
| 1975 | $57.89 | 2.40% |
| 1976 | $59.96 | 3.57% |
| 1977 | $62.17 | 3.68% |
| 1978 | $63.60 | 2.31% |
| 1979 | $65.89 | 3.59% |
| 1980 | $65.88 | -0.02% |
| 1981 | $65.93 | 0.08% |
| 1982 | $64.15 | -2.71% |
| 1983 | $66.33 | 3.40% |
| 1984 | $69.40 | 4.63% |
| 1985 | $70.80 | 2.02% |
| 1986 | $69.95 | -1.21% |
| 1987 | $77.67 | 11.04% |
| 1988 | $82.26 | 5.91% |
| 1989 | $82.29 | 0.04% |
| 1990 | $85.98 | 4.48% |
| 1991 | $89.19 | 3.74% |
| 1992 | $89.03 | -0.18% |
| 1993 | $90.71 | 1.89% |
| 1994 | $85.52 | -5.73% |
| 1995 | $80.77 | -5.55% |
| 1996 | $74.96 | -7.19% |
| 1997 | $73.96 | -1.34% |
| 1998 | $75.73 | 2.40% |
| 1999 | $72.02 | -4.89% |
| 2000 | $67.02 | -6.94% |
| 2001 | $65.60 | -2.12% |
| 2002 | $69.20 | 5.48% |
| 2003 | $68.15 | -1.51% |
| 2004 | $67.53 | -0.92% |
| 2005 | $69.06 | 2.26% |
| 2006 | $74.15 | 7.37% |
| 2007 | $75.15 | 1.35% |
| 2008 | $75.12 | -0.04% |
| 2009 | $77.92 | 3.74% |
| 2010 | $74.20 | -4.78% |
| 2011 | $77.45 | 4.37% |
| 2012 | $80.74 | 4.26% |
| 2013 | $81.19 | 0.55% |
| 2014 | $83.57 | 2.93% |
| 2015 | $81.78 | -2.14% |
| 2016 | $80.08 | -2.07% |
| 2017 | $81.98 | 2.37% |
| 2018 | $84.63 | 3.23% |
| 2019 | $77.60 | -8.31% |
| 2020 | $65.15 | -16.05% |
| 2021 | $67.30 | 3.30% |
| 2022 | $70.78 | 5.18% |
| 2023 | $71.40 | 0.87% |
| 2024 | $71.51 | 0.15%* |
* 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 | 107.340 |