Even if you are not the music addict I am, you probably use headphones pretty frequently. Most people use them to get into the groove at the gym, at least.
The headphone rage
The increased usage of the headphones gave entrepreneurs a new niche to tap into: fashionable headphones! Just a couple of years ago, these items were simple and plain, now you can buy a fashionable pair of Dolce Gabbana crown headphones, which you might remember from Riri’s post. If that’s not your style, you can opt for more discreet, yet very modern and stylish headphones by designer Alexander Wang, brought to you by Beats. Beats is not the only company which is now asking famous designers to work their magic on headphones. This trend led to “girly”, jewelry-like headphones manufactured just for women to compliment their earrings and hairstyles. Now you are not only looking for the best wireless earbuds, but also for earbuds that match your iPhone shade, because you’re buying them to accessorize your running outfit. After all, running in a matching outfit is far more important than listening to the right tune (not that anyone said this or ever will).
Women-only headphones
The trend of manufacturing headphones especially for women was taken to the extremes not only by designers who are now selling four figure couture headphones, but also by companies which advertise their headphones as scientifically designed for female needs. According to Skullcandy’s brand director, women’s ears are configured differently, compared to men’s ears; thus, we need special headphones. Is this legit? My efforts to find a study which can support Skullcandy’s statements left me empty-handed, so I can’t say if they are right or not, but the idea that unisex headphones are not practical seems a little far-fetched to me. Maybe it’s just me, but maybe I just managed to sniff out the marketing efforts of the companies which try to sell us pricier headphones. Oh, what happened with the traditional headphones and earbuds? A potential answer for this question is “they turned into fashion statement items” because the gender gap is growing larger and larger, but millennial fashionistas found another use for them in the hair styling department. After all, what can you expect, after Vogue called headphones the “Summer’s Ultimate Accessory”?
Headphones, the latest hair styling tool?
Let’s leave the best headphones apart for some moments and focus on your hair, on those last days of the week, when your strands are so rich in dry shampoo, you feel you could support the entire dry shampoo industry on your own. On those days, when washing your hair is just too much for you, the headphones are your best friend in styling your tresses. I haven’t tested this method yet, but I think it’s safe enough to say that it may work, especially when you want to listen to music and style your dirty hair before going to work.
Conclusion
As we live a high tech life, the attempt to get some style from our gadgets is completely legit, but from choosing a pair of stylish headphones over the plain white ones that can be seen from a mile away, to spending thousands of dollars on Gabbana or Alexander Wang is going too far. Way too far for me. I totally agree with the need to buy your phone in an elegant shade of rose, but women-only headphones? I think I’ll pass. My unisex headphones are completely able to help me style my hair! Featured photo credit: Frends via google.ro
