About Manshoe

Manshoe answers a simple question with official numbers: what did shoes cost then, and what do they cost now? We read 18 price indexes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics every night, currently through September 2026, and turn them into a calculator, one page per year since 1970, comparisons between men’s, women’s and kids’ shoes, and a look at prices before shoes reach the store.

Why this site exists

Inflation calculators usually apply the overall consumer price index to everything. Shoes have followed a very different path: they rose far less than prices in general over the past five decades. Using the shoe indexes themselves gives a more honest answer when you are comparing an old receipt, a family story or a catalog price with today.

Who we are

Manshoe is run by the Manshoe team, a small independent group that builds data sites from public records. We are not affiliated with the Bureau of Labor Statistics, any government agency, shoe brand or retailer.

How we are funded

The site is free to use and is paid for by advertising served by Google. We do not sell shoes, accept payment from brands, publish sponsored content or use affiliate links. Advertisers have no say over what we publish.

How we work

Data pages are generated from BLS data with the formulas on How we calculate. Explainers are written from primary sources, which are listed at the end of each piece, and their figures are checked against our data before publication.

Corrections

If you find an error, write to [email protected]. We fix confirmed mistakes and note the change date on the page.