According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for apparel were 2.49% lower in 2021 versus 1990 (a $0.50 difference in value).
Between 1990 and 2021: Apparel experienced an average inflation rate of -0.08% per year. In other words, apparel costing $20 in the year 1990 would cost $19.50 in 2021 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.38% during this same period, inflation for apparel was lower.
In the year 1990: Pricing changed by 4.64%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for apparel during the 1990-2021 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1990 (5.40%), inflation for apparel was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Apparel, over time, for $20 beginning in 1990. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | $20.00 | 4.64% |
| 1991 | $20.75 | 3.73% |
| 1992 | $21.26 | 2.46% |
| 1993 | $21.54 | 1.35% |
| 1994 | $21.50 | -0.20% |
| 1995 | $21.27 | -1.08% |
| 1996 | $21.23 | -0.20% |
| 1997 | $21.41 | 0.88% |
| 1998 | $21.44 | 0.13% |
| 1999 | $21.16 | -1.30% |
| 2000 | $20.89 | -1.31% |
| 2001 | $20.51 | -1.78% |
| 2002 | $19.99 | -2.55% |
| 2003 | $19.48 | -2.54% |
| 2004 | $19.41 | -0.37% |
| 2005 | $19.27 | -0.74% |
| 2006 | $19.25 | -0.07% |
| 2007 | $19.18 | -0.38% |
| 2008 | $19.17 | -0.08% |
| 2009 | $19.35 | 0.98% |
| 2010 | $19.26 | -0.48% |
| 2011 | $19.68 | 2.18% |
| 2012 | $20.35 | 3.40% |
| 2013 | $20.54 | 0.91% |
| 2014 | $20.55 | 0.08% |
| 2015 | $20.29 | -1.26% |
| 2016 | $20.32 | 0.11% |
| 2017 | $20.25 | -0.34% |
| 2018 | $20.25 | 0.03% |
| 2019 | $19.99 | -1.28% |
| 2020 | $19.03 | -4.81% |
| 2021 | $19.50 | 2.47% |
| 2022 | $20.48 | 5.03% |
| 2023 | $21.05 | 2.75% |
| 2024 | $21.29 | 1.16%* |
* 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 Apparel:
| Year | 1913 | 1914 | 1915 | 1916 | 1917 | 1918 | 1919 | 1920 | 1921 | 1922 | 1923 | 1924 | 1925 | 1926 | 1927 | 1928 | 1929 | 1930 | 1931 | 1932 | 1933 | 1934 | 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 | 14.900 | 15.000 | 15.450 | 17.350 | 21.200 | 29.550 | 37.733 | 42.800 | 31.625 | 26.860 | 27.100 | 26.760 | 26.300 | 25.833 | 25.267 | 24.967 | 24.667 | 24.067 | 21.600 | 19.200 | 19.067 | 20.667 | 20.800 | 21.033 | 22.140 | 21.860 | 21.620 | 21.814 | 22.815 | 26.700 | 27.854 | 29.808 | 31.346 | 34.392 | 39.862 | 42.508 | 40.831 | 40.285 | 43.923 | 43.454 | 43.169 | 43.023 | 42.885 | 43.746 | 44.500 | 44.669 | 45.023 | 45.700 | 46.062 | 46.315 | 46.885 | 47.285 | 47.738 | 49.015 | 51.015 | 53.738 | 56.831 | 59.177 | 61.092 | 62.354 | 64.638 | 69.431 | 72.523 | 75.238 | 78.608 | 81.369 | 84.931 | 90.938 | 95.277 | 97.777 | 100.192 | 102.038 | 105.023 | 105.915 | 110.577 | 115.377 | 118.585 | 124.085 | 128.708 | 131.877 | 133.662 | 133.400 | 131.962 | 131.700 | 132.854 | 133.023 | 131.292 | 129.577 | 127.269 | 124.023 | 120.877 | 120.431 | 119.538 | 119.454 | 118.998 | 118.907 | 120.078 | 119.503 | 122.111 | 126.265 | 127.411 | 127.514 | 125.903 | 126.045 | 125.612 | 125.654 | 124.052 | 118.079 | 120.993 | 127.081 | 130.579 | 132.090 |