In case you haven’t heard, your indispensable earphones have transcended form and function to become fashion. Besides giving a background score to mundane activities like laundry or grocery shopping, earphones have evolved into the ultimate slouchy cool street style statement. From the wired Walkman-era variety to the sleek button-sized Bluetooth kind, the everyday accompaniment is taking over streets, fashion weeks and Instagram feeds. Whether they’re casually dangling off the side of Paul Mescal’s short shorts, stealing the spotlight as models strut around with Coperni’s CD Swipe bag, subtly slinking along Auralee Tokyo’s Spring / Summer 25 runway, or finding their way into Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant’s top essentials list, earphones are in their fashion era.
It’s almost inevitable that the Y2K nostalgia wave, which once resurrected film cameras and flip phones, has now come for our earphones, rebelliously rebranding wired headphones as the coolest style staple since white sneakers and baggy jeans. On the other hand (or ear?), brands are taking trusty earbuds beyond the capabilities of a listening device by reimagining them as purposeful gender-fluid jewellery. There’s even an entire range of accessories dedicated to accentuating your AirPods, from Prada’s AirPods case chain to Mara Paris’ signature pod cuffs.
If you’re still wrapping your head around this trend or are too busy to tear yourself away from that true crime podcast or Diljit Dosanjh banger you’ve got on repeat, here are some stylish earphones that can effortlessly elevate your everyday look.
7 best earphones & headphones that double up as a fashion statement
1. BOSE Ultra Open Earbuds
The BOSE Ultra Open Earbuds delicately tiptoe the line between tech and style, featuring a first-of-its-kind open-ear design. While the vibes are more ear cuffs than earphones, this innovative release is packed with BOSE’s signature OpenAudio technology, allowing you to take in every sound in your surroundings as you blast that Backstreet Boys guilty pleasure song. With over 7.5 hours of playtime, neatly hook this slick metallic design to your outer ear the next time you go on an all-night bender.
