Remember wired headphones? Google ‘earphone evolution’ and you’ll see 2007 marked a golden era. When the first-gen iPhones came out, they came bundled with their own set of white, wired headphones - the Apple Stereo Headset. Soon those spherical white buds, much like the iPhone, were everywhere - swinging from the necks of commuters, tangled in the best designer handbags, and hanging from music lovers who just wanted to drown out the noise. Yes they are tech. For listening to music. But they were also a quiet marker of cool.
Almost 20 years (and several dozen lost ear buds later) and they're having a renaissance - just ask the style set.
The fashion world has fallen hard for the return of wired headphones, with a few brands turning them into literal accessories. Racer Worldwide turned theirs into a necklace, sculpting the familiar silhouette into jewellery. At London Fashion Week, Fashion East sent models down the runway with wired buds strung with charms. Street style never really moved on either. Bella Hadid has been spotted in hers since 2019, and just yesterday, the model was seen with white earphones falling out her pocket in Paris. EmRata is a stan too, seen walking the streets of New York with her own pair. Wires looped around Birkin handles or dangling like necklaces have become their own form of styling.
And it’s not just individuals - there’s an entire online community. Instagram pages like @wireditgirls(18.5k followers and counting) are dedicated to the look, curating paparazzi shots and new-gen references alike. It’s part fan archive, part aesthetic moodboard, and proof that wires are practical as they are cultural.
So what does it say about style now? That nostalgia holds as much power as innovation. Fashion isn’t always about the newest launches it’s about the cues, the references, the subtleties that say ‘you know’. Wired earphones are messy and tactile in a world obsessed with sleekness and minimalism. They’re imperfect, analogue, almost rebellious. A refusal to conform to techs seamless, glossy future and advancements.
The secret to pulling off wired headphones is all in the styling. Don’t hide them away - make them part of the look. Let the cord spill out of your tote like an afterthought, loop them loosely around your neck like jewellery, or let them get artfully tangled in your handbag strap. Bonus points if one earbud is in and the other dangles free. Once considered outdated, they’re now a signifier of taste. A reminder that if its not broken, don’t fix it.
Shop: Wired Earphones
www.racerworldwide.net
Renee Washington, Grazia's digital fashion and beauty writer, lives online. With a penchant for wispy lashes and streetwear, she writes about the worlds of fashion and beauty from the viewpoint of the modern fashion girlie..
Main Image Credit: Getty Images