News of Gloria Steinem’s death at 92 arrived on Thursday, prompting an outpouring of tributes for the writer‑activist who helped turn feminism into a mainstream civil‑rights force. While her intellect and relentless advocacy defined her legacy, it was the unassuming pair of oversized aviators she first wore on a 1971 Newsweek cover that turned her image into a quiet but powerful weapon.
From Practical Need to Powerful Symbol
Steinem’s glasses were never a fashion statement born of vanity. Coming from a nearsighted family, she hunted for frames that fit her face and settled on oversized men’s wire Ray‑Ban Bausch & Lomb aviators in the late 1960s because standard women’s styles felt too small. As she later recalled, “People were always pinching me on the cheek and so I felt I had a very fat face,” she told Teen Vogue in 2011. “Those things were undercurrent somewhere, you know, causing me to wear my hair down and wear big glasses.” She also admitted to using them as a shield during nervous public appearances, noting that she “liked to hide behind them.”
Style as Strategy in the Women’s Liberation Movement
During the heady days of women’s lib, Steinem’s look blended centre‑parted hair, bell‑bottoms, ribbed polo necks and low‑slung concho belts into a relaxed, bohemian uniform that felt both of its era and approachable. She understood that the media often caricatured feminists as unattractive or radical, and she turned her personal presentation into a deliberate counter‑narrative. Even the Washington Post’s Maxine Cheshire once labelled her “the miniskirted pinup girl of the intelligentsia,” a phrase that stuck despite Steinem’s later preference for tight high‑waisted jeans, which she described as “anti‑fashion” but chose for practicality while organising flyers and setting up tables at conventions.
The Trojan Horse in Action: Using Image to Deliver Message
For Steinem, clothing was never about optics alone; it was an extension of a woman’s right to choose. She saw getting dressed as an act of agency, a viewpoint echoed in her own words: “Fashion in the past meant conforming and losing oneself; fashion in the present means being unique and finding oneself.” By drawing eyes with her distinctive glasses and relaxed attire, she created a opening—what she called a Trojan horse—through which she could steer conversations toward uncompromising topics like reproductive rights and systemic sexism. The tactic culminated in one of her most memorable statements: at age 70 she wore an “I had an abortion” T‑shirt, a direct reference to the illegal termination she underwent at 22, turning a personal history into a public rallying cry.
Enduring Influence and Personal Legacy
Steinem’s sartorial imprint stretches far beyond her own wardrobe. Her blond‑streaked hair has been revived by Gen Z, and designers such as Roland Mouret and Michael Kors have repeatedly featured her look on mood boards; she even appeared alongside Kors at his Fall/Winter 2023 show. In later years she favoured an all‑black ensemble, quipping, “You didn’t have to worry about what matched what,” a nod to the New York uniform she adopted. Earlier this year she opened her New York brownstone to auction off 40 personal items—enamel belts, block‑printed jackets, fringed pieces still bearing activist pins—to raise funds for her foundation, inviting buyers to “Own a piece of history.” Through every frame, fabric and accessory, Steinem demonstrated that a woman could be both fiercely feminine and fiercely formidable.
Why it Matters
Gloria Steinem’s story reminds us that symbols—whether a pair of glasses, a belt or a slogan‑emblazoned shirt—can shift public perception and open space for substantive change. By harnessing her image as a gateway rather than a distraction, she proved that personal style, when wielded with intention, can become a strategic instrument in the fight for equality, offering a lasting lesson for activists navigating today’s media‑saturated landscape.