Gloria Steinem's Stunning Style Evolution

We could plan a filibuster around everything that Gloria Steinem has meant to women's liberation and civil rights in the U.S. and beyond — and she managed to do it all with remarkable grace and poise, as well as an incredible style evolution. Steinem died at 92 years old at her New York City home on September 2, 2026, and, because her work spanned more than six decades, we have the honor of chronicling her life and style evolution via photos. Steinem started her career as a journalist back in the early '60s before being pulled into activism, and, in the years since, she's been at the forefront of gender equality, reproductive rights, same-sex marriage, Black liberation, and more. 

Steinem also seems to understand the power of presentation, dispelling any ideas that serious work can't coexist with an appreciation for fashion. We've got snaps of Steinem at the Supreme Court, pounding the pavement, and on the red carpet dressed in looks that, like herself, exuded at once strength and femininity. Our hats off and our inspo boards out for a true feminist icon.

Gloria Steinem famously went undercover as a cocktail waitress at the New York City Playboy Club for a 1963 article in Show Magazine. In connection with that much buzzed-about story, Steinem is seen on the left in the hallway of the Supreme Court in 1963, dressed in a smart mid-length belted jacket and pumps, and with her dark hair styled in a shoulder-grazing bob. The photo on the right is from a 1964 issue of Glamour, with the up-and-coming Steinem rocking a checkered blouse, matching knee-high skirt, and white gloves.

By now, you could add the combo of Gloria Steinem's neat turtleneck, relaxed denim, and signature aviator sunglasses to your list of iconic '70s celeb outfits that defined the era. She donned the look on the left for a fundraiser and rally for California State Senate candidate Catherine O'Neill in Los Angeles in October 1972, around the time the first issue of Steinem's Ms. Magazine was published. In the right snap, we see the activist speaking at an Equal Rights Amendment event in Beverly Hills in 1979, dressed in a simple T-shirt, wide-legged slacks, and a jazzy scarf.

Gloria Steinem wasn't all work; she celebrated her 50th birthday with a party in New York City in May 1984. In the left pic, we see her wearing a big smile while absolutely owning a satin cross halter gown in a stunning shade of periwinkle. On the right, Steinem and her then-partner Mort Zuckerman attended a benefit gala for the New York City Public Library in November 1985. At the affair, Steinem sparkled in a black sequin-dusted gown in a classic silhouette accented with a statement choker.

We can't think of a better print fit for Gloria Steinem than a ferocious animal print. In November 1990, the feminist posed for a photo shoot at her New York City apartment. In the left pic, she can be seen lounging in her home in a slinky patterned dress, punched up with gold and silver bracelets. On the right, Steinem held up a hot pink banner at the Women's Rights rally, also in NYC, in October 1995. She kept the fall temps at bay with a brown jacket and cheetah-print scarf, her hair casually tied back.

In the left pic, Gloria Steinem made a case for fun, cheeky fashion when she attended an after-party and benefit gala for "The Vagina Monologues" in New York City in February 2001. She wore a pink blouse-and-pants set in the silkiest, most luxurious fabric, and she nailed the theme with a feather boa. Steinem looked just as old-money expensive on the right at the 15th Annual Genesis Awards in Beverly Hills in March 2001, where she wore a wine-colored gown and gold jewelry.

In the 2010s, Gloria Steinem got back to her roots, rocking a simple tee and trousers on the red carpet more than once. On the left, she hit a Tribeca Film Festival event in New York City in April 2013 with a black T-shirt, slim-fit pants, a leather jacket, and a studded belt. She wore a similar outfit when she attended the Matrix Awards in NYC in April 2016, sporting a studded jacket that time. Follow Steinem's lead, because fashion is cyclical and oversized belts can bring a laid-back Y2K style to any outfit.

On the left, Gloria Steinem was there for the premiere of "The Glorias" — the Julianne Moore-led flick about her life — during the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah in January 2020. She wore a layered look that featured a black top and pants, a clay-colored long sweater, and a statement beaded necklace. On the right, we see her during New York Fashion Week in February 2023, at the Michael Kors runway show, draped in a polished, all-black look, and adding to our favorite unique ways to style a simple trench coat: go monochromatic and opt for a chill pair of slacks.