Seventeen was founded by publisher Walter Annenberg, owner of Triangle Publications, based upon a suggestion by editor Helen Valentine.

[4] Working from New York, she provided teenaged girls with working-woman role models and information about their personality development and overall growth.

In July 1944, King Features Syndicate began running the comic strip Teena, created by cartoonist Hilda Terry, in which a typical teenager's life was examined.

[6] Sylvia Plath submitted nearly 50 pieces to Seventeen before her first short story, "And Summer Will Not Come Again", was accepted and published in the August 1950 issue.

[11] It was announced shortly thereafter that Michele Promaulayko, who was appointed editor in chief of Cosmopolitan, would also serve as Seventeen's editorial director.

In October 2018, it was announced that Jessica Pels would take over from Promaulayko as Editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan, and that Kristin Koch was appointed Seventeen's new executive director, overseeing all its content.

The winners of America's Next Top Model from seasons seven through 14 have each appeared on a cover of Seventeen magazine, including CariDee English, Jaslene Gonzalez, Sal Stowers, Whitney Thompson, McKey Sullivan, Teyona Anderson, Nicole Fox, and Krista White.

[17] In May 2012 Bluhm, her mother, and a group of fellow "SPARK Summit" members were invited to the New York headquarters of Seventeen by editor-in-chief Ann Shoket.

The winners of Project Runway: Junior from seasons one and two have had their designs feature in a fashion spread of Seventeen, including Maya and Chelsea.