Before Maddie Blair ’26 walks out of the door every morning, she makes sure to grab her black Skullcandy Crushers.
Blair is one of many people swapping out earbuds for over-ear headphones, preferring the comfort and secure feeling her headphones give her.
“If I go to the gym, when I would lift weights, the AirPods would fall out,” Blair said.
The headphones industry reached $18.4 billion in revenue in 2025, a number that is projected to increase by 2.4% annually. This includes over-ear headphones, which surround the entire ear; on-ear headphones, which rest on top of the ear; and in-ear headphones, also known as earbuds. Apple is the most popular brand of headphones in the U.S., according to Statista Market Insights.
Like most trends, the use of headphones as an accessory is nothing new.
Since the popularization of the Walkman in the 1970s, headphones have been a notable addition to many outfits. Despite decreasing in popularity in the early 2010s, headphones have recently experienced a resurgence. Wireless headphones, especially from brands like Apple and Bose, can be seen everywhere on college campuses.
Jordan Sharer ’26 said she chose to get Apple’s AirPods Max for their noise-canceling feature and was influenced by their sleek, simple “clean-cut look.”
“I didn’t really like some of the other ones, like Sony and Bose,” Sharer said. “They’re kind of boring. I like that the Apple ones are clean and techie-ish.”
Like many fashion accessories, you pay for style. A good quality pair of headphones can cost $200-$500, a notably higher price than earbuds. However, refurbished and second-hand products are available for a more affordable price, often under $100, from third-party websites like Amazon and Best Buy. Bose also sells its own refurbished headphones.
Sharer said AirPods Max appeal to younger people because of the customization. The plain look of the headphones inspires people to decorate them.
“People will tie bows on them or they’ll get different covers for the Apple ones that are more their aesthetic,” Sharer said.
Apple sells protective shells that can be attached to the earcups of headphones. Users looking for a more creative case can check out sites like Etsy and Casely.
Diana Harrington ’26 said she was against wearing headphones until she received a pair of Bose QuietComfort headphones as a gift from her stepmother.
“I thought they looked silly before,” Harrington said. “I was like, ‘Yeah, if I ever got headphones, I wouldn’t wear them.’ But they were these really nice Bose headphones with noise-canceling, and they were Bluetooth, whereas the headphones I had used in the past were wired.”
Harrington said she also incorporates her blue headphones into her outfit, matching them with the color of the clothes she’s wearing.
“I literally incorporated them into my first day of school outfit,” Harrington said. “I was like, ‘I’m going to do a blue and white theme,’ and they were part of the outfit.”
Harrington added headphones look more mature than AirPods and earbuds, which were more commonplace in high school.
“I think that having over-the-ear headphones is more ‘college,’” Harrington said. “It’s more adult.”
