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Consumer Price Index
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Quality Adjustment in the CPI: Men’s Sport Coats and Tailored Jackets
Item definition
The Entry Level Item (ELI) category of Men’s Sport Coats and Tailored Jackets is part of the index for Men’s Suits, Sport Coats, and Outerwear, and includes all types of sport coats and blazers sold in men’s sizes. In this factsheet, we examine the regression model used in the quality adjustment of price data for men’s sport coats and tailored jackets.
CPI Sample
The sample used for the new hedonic model included approximately 100 observations from June and July of 2025. The model was constructed using a mix of store and website data. Almost one-third of the jackets in the sample had a fiber content of over 90 percent wool, and over half were majority wool. Although there were approximately 25 outlets in the sample, the top two outlets accounted for over one-third of the observations.
Current Model
Table 1 presents the details of the estimation of the current model used to quality adjust men’s sport coats and tailored jackets.
| Variable Name | DF | Parameter Estimate | Standard Error | t Value | Pr > |t| | Tolerance Statistic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Intercept | 1 | 5.82295 | 0.07727 | 75.36 | <.0001 | |
Item: Blazer | 1 | 0.12941 | 0.06879 | 1.88 | 0.0634 | 0.79516 |
Item: Sport Coat | Base | |||||
Brand Category: Exclusive | 1 | 0.78918 | 0.10380 | 7.60 | <0.001 | 0.57023 |
Brand Category: Private | 1 | -0.26800 | 0.07269 | -3.69 | 0.0004 | 0.74203 |
Brand Category: Miscellaneous | 1 | -0.58773 | 0.13982 | -4.20 | <.0001 | 0.54144 |
Brand Category: National | Base | |||||
Fiber (continuous): Silk | 1 | 0.02330 | 0.01082 | 2.15 | 0.0341 | 0.90744 |
Fiber (continuous): Cashmere | 1 | 0.00795 | 0.00241 | 3.30 | 0.0014 | 0.76132 |
Fiber (continuous): Cotton | 1 | -0.00331 | 0.00165 | -2.01 | 0.0477 | 0.88350 |
Fiber (continuous): Polyester | 1 | -0.00527 | 0.00109 | -4.84 | <.0001 | 0.64316 |
Fiber (continuous): Wool | Base | |||||
Details/Features: Hand Stitching | 1 | 0.62679 | 0.20856 | 3.01 | 0.0035 | 0.51904 |
Details/Features: Center Vent | 1 | -0.25788 | 0.09004 | -2.86 | 0.0053 | 0.69480 |
Details/Features: Stain Resistant | 1 | -0.49273 | 0.22810 | -2.16 | 0.0336 | 0.85009 |
Details/Features: No details/features | Base | |||||
NOTE: This model contains control variables for type of store and geographic region, but they are not used in adjustments. | ||||||
Summary notes
- Quality adjustments derived from hedonic regressions for men’s sport coats and tailored jackets were first incorporated into the CPI in 1992. Since then, the model for men’s suits has been updated four times.
- Characteristics that received the most focus during the model evaluation were type of brand, fiber content and item features.
- Previous model iterations included quality adjustments for fibers like camel hair, nylon, leather, linen, and alpaca. In this model, polyester, cashmere, silk, and cotton were the fibers considered significant outside of wool (which was the base).
- Buttons made of natural material, lining, and big/tall size range are a few variables that were included in previous models but were left out of the latest model. This is the first model to include an adjustment for stain resistance.
- Variables consistent across most previous models include exclusive, private and miscellaneous brands, as well as polyester fiber and hand stitching.
Data
Access data for Men’s Suits, Sport Coats, and Outerwear in our online database.
Additional information
Additional information may be obtained from the Consumer Price Index Information Office by email or calling 202-691-7000. Information on the CPI's overall methodology can be found in the BLS Handbook of Methods.
Last Modified Date: July 31, 2026