[8] In 1937, Gurley, her older sister Mary Eloine (later Mrs. Alford; 1917–1997), and their mother moved to Los Angeles, California.

[12] While at Woodbury she joined Eta Upsilon Gamma sorority; her chapter later merged into Zeta Tau Alpha.

[16] In 1962, Brown's book Sex and the Single Girl[17] was published in 28 countries, and stayed on the bestseller lists for over a year.

"[24] After being gently let go, in 1996 at age 74 due to her increasing disconnection from young women,[25] Brown went on to be editor of the international Cosmopolitan magazines.

Feminist views of the magazine were re-evaluated in the 1990s, however, with New York Times media reporter Randall Rothenberg writing, "In retrospect, the magazine played an important role in helping young women redefine their roles in society.

"[22] Audie Cornish from NPR said that Brown "has been called a bad girl, a pioneer in Prada, a revolutionary in stilettos.

In a statement announcing the news of her death, Hearst Publications noted that "Helen was one of the world's most recognized magazine editors and book authors, and a true pioneer for women in journalism – and beyond.

[28] Entertainment Weekly said that "Gurley Brown will be remembered for her impact on the publishing industry, her contributions to the culture at large, and sly quips like her famous line: 'Good girls go to heaven.

She was a role model for the millions of women whose private thoughts, wonders and dreams she addressed so brilliantly in print.

[35] Following her death, the trust continues donating much of its fortune to programs that serve the children of New York City and foster advancements in education and technology.

[37] These donations have collectively created new media programs (David and Helen Gurley Brown Institute for Media Innovation at Columbia) and started initiatives to benefit at-risk youth (NYPL BridgeUp) and increase representation of women and minority groups in STEM disciplines (the AMNH BridgeUp:STEM program).

However, some feminists feel that the sexism cannot be blamed all on Cosmopolitan and Brown, with other magazines circulating that objectify women's bodies.