Women's dresses price inflation, 1936→1980

Women's Dresses Inflation Calculator

Prices for Women's Dresses, 1936-1980 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for women's dresses were 233.32% higher in 1980 versus 1936 (a $46.66 difference in value).

Between 1936 and 1980: Women's dresses experienced an average inflation rate of 2.77% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, women's dresses costing $20 in the year 1936 would cost $66.66 in 1980 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 4.13% during this same period, inflation for women's dresses was lower.

In the year 1936: Pricing changed by 0.31%, which is below the average yearly change for women's dresses during the 1936-1980 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1936 (1.07%), inflation for women's dresses was lower.

Price Inflation for Women's dresses since 1935

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1942 (20.20%), 2020 (-16.05%), and 1949 (-15.90%).

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Buying power of $20.00 since 1936

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Women's dresses, over time, for $20 beginning in 1936. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

Year	USD Value	Inflation Rate
1936	$20.00	0.31%
1937	$20.67	3.35%
1938	$20.24	-2.09%
1939	$20.27	0.13%
1940	$20.29	0.13%
1941	$20.95	3.25%
1942	$25.18	20.20%
1943	$26.29	4.39%
1944	$28.77	9.43%
1945	$30.34	5.48%
1946	$30.89	1.81%
1947	$35.15	13.78%
1948	$38.33	9.06%
1949	$32.24	-15.90%
1950	$29.92	-7.20%
1951	$32.05	7.13%
1952	$31.96	-0.29%
1953	$32.05	0.30%
1954	$32.06	0.04%
1955	$32.32	0.80%
1956	$32.62	0.92%
1957	$32.80	0.58%
1958	$33.03	0.70%
1959	$33.83	2.41%
1960	$33.90	0.20%
1961	$34.03	0.40%
1962	$34.11	0.24%
1963	$34.36	0.71%
1964	$35.12	2.24%
1965	$35.80	1.92%
1966	$37.55	4.90%
1967	$40.95	9.05%
1968	$45.84	11.95%
1969	$49.87	8.78%
1970	$52.58	5.45%
1971	$51.83	-1.43%
1972	$52.85	1.97%
1973	$55.17	4.39%
1974	$57.21	3.69%
1975	$58.58	2.40%
1976	$60.67	3.57%
1977	$62.91	3.68%
1978	$64.36	2.31%
1979	$66.67	3.59%
1980	$66.66	-0.02%
1981	$66.72	0.08%
1982	$64.91	-2.71%
1983	$67.12	3.40%
1984	$70.23	4.63%
1985	$71.65	2.02%
1986	$70.78	-1.21%
1987	$78.60	11.04%
1988	$83.24	5.91%
1989	$83.27	0.04%
1990	$87.00	4.48%
1991	$90.25	3.74%
1992	$90.09	-0.18%
1993	$91.79	1.89%
1994	$86.54	-5.73%
1995	$81.73	-5.55%
1996	$75.85	-7.19%
1997	$74.84	-1.34%
1998	$76.63	2.40%
1999	$72.88	-4.89%
2000	$67.82	-6.94%
2001	$66.38	-2.12%
2002	$70.02	5.48%
2003	$68.97	-1.51%
2004	$68.33	-0.92%
2005	$69.88	2.26%
2006	$75.03	7.37%
2007	$76.04	1.35%
2008	$76.01	-0.04%
2009	$78.85	3.74%
2010	$75.08	-4.78%
2011	$78.37	4.37%
2012	$81.71	4.26%
2013	$82.16	0.55%
2014	$84.56	2.93%
2015	$82.75	-2.14%
2016	$81.04	-2.07%
2017	$82.96	2.37%
2018	$85.64	3.23%
2019	$78.53	-8.31%
2020	$65.93	-16.05%
2021	$68.10	3.30%
2022	$71.63	5.18%
2023	$72.25	0.87%
2024	$72.27	0.02%*

* 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	107.195

Adjust women's dresses prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 1980 / CPI in 1936 * 1936 USD value = 1980 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Women's dresses was 29.667 in the year 1936 and 98.885 in 1980:

98.885 / 29.667 * $20 = $66.66

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1936 has the same "purchasing power" as $66.66 in 1980 (in the CPI category of Women's dresses).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Women's dresses in 1935. In addition to women's dresses, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.