In January, I bought a pair of wired headphones, for reasons I discuss below. I assumed that choice put me in some niche category, but I was wrong. Basketball icons like Steph Curry and off-duty models like Bella Hadid show up with cords on display, raising a question. If Bluetooth rules on ease and freedom, why reach for a wire at all? I say convenience doesn’t win every fight—and that’s why wired headphones are back in style.
Convenience isn’t the only value
Headphones with a cord act as cultural shorthand. They hint at creators, writers, and people who live on the internet but think beyond screens. They nod to early internet intimacy and long-form attention. In a world of seamless Bluetooth, the cord works as style punctuation. It slows the pace, frames the face, and completes the outfit.
Consider an Instagram account that gathers photos of women from many walks of life, each wearing her favorite pair of wired headphones.
@wireditgirls invites “hotties” or “practical trendsetters” to submit their own corded looks, according to its Instagram bio. Some photos show women posing with cigarettes, alcoholic drinks, and wired earbuds, communicating a message.
leWired headphones hold appeal, though not in the way you might expect. They signal a desire to stand apart, much like a cigarette or a glass of wine. Growing scientific research and public policy place such habits outside the mainstream. The World Health Organization says that “no level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health,” and phone brands like Apple remove the headphone jack in the name of convenience. People who choose vices sit outside the norm, and influencers who pick a cord over Bluetooth make a similar statement.
For star power, look at a reel of Steph Curry slipping wired earbuds into his pocket. Many comments praise the Golden State Warriors guard for a choice that “emits no radiation” and “stays put.” The point guard aligns with influencers who choose a cord to signal intent. Let’s see my point.
Why the cord works for me
A couple of months ago, I purchased the Sony ZX Series, a low-cost set of wired headphones that I’m loving. I work from home a lot, so my switch to a cord feels private, not performative, while Steph Curry might use the choice as a style signal.
Sony ZX Series
Wired on-ear headphones
The cord helps me stay focused and present with my Spotify playlist and my work. If I want a glass of water or a walk through my place while I shape a new sentence, I have to take off the headphones and step out of the flow. Those short breaks lift my focus and help me tune in to my space, which improves my output.
Parting thoughts
Wired headphones are back not because they outperform Bluetooth, but because they resist it. The cord makes a choice visible, signaling intention in a culture built on frictionless ease. Whether worn by celebrities as style punctuation or by people like me as a tool for focus, wired headphones reintroduce limits—and meaning—into listening. They slow us down, mark presence, and push back against constant optimization. Convenience may dominate, but style, attention, and intention still have a say.