First, Wired Headphones Were Accessories. Now, They're Jewelry
There was a time when picking up a pair of headphones that didn't work was a day ruiner. But nowadays, wired headphones aren’t just a stylish accessory — they’re straight-up jewelry.
Y2K-obsessed Estonian fashion brand Racer Worldwide is leading this tech-cessory charge with its RacerPods necklace, designed to look exactly like real wired earbuds sans any form of technicality.
These stainless steel faux-pods, which go for $68 on the Racer Worldwide website, are real size and function as retro necklace or, if you dare, in-ear bling. They're like real headphones but not.
The glamorization of wired headphones is equal parts nostalgic and confusing. For nearly a decade, wireless headphones placed traditional headphones on the outskirts of relevancy but those days are behind us.
The ever-revolving trend cycle has looped all the way back around, and wired headphones are suddenly cool again.
Much like the revival of vinyl records or disposable cameras, wired headphones are a physical reminder of a simpler time, though their lesser usefulness is actually a selling point.
Functionality is especially not related to wired headphones’ charm.
Louis Vuitton's Spring 2025 leather accessories collection, for instance, took inspiration from old-school iPods and headphones, with tech touches that were purely for show. All fashion, no function. Chanel’s double-C earbuds are functional but let's be real: No one is buying those for their sound quality.
Meanwhile, labels as disparate as Kim Kardashian's SKIMS and indie fashion lines like Jane Wade and Nahmias use wired headphones as styling props, a beautiful statement piece similarly documented by Instagram account @wireditgirls.
The awkward visible wires are exactly the point. Whether or not you can plug them into your phone is irrelevant.
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