Walking in the broad shade with headphones and listening to soothing music is undoubtedly a wonderful thing. When you take the bus, leaning against the window, watching the scenery outside the window, listening to their favorite music, is not it a pleasant and relaxing thing?

Are headphones a summer fashion essential?

1.The origins of the first people to use headphones.

Back in the 1880s, switchboard operators started using 10-pound headphones, with a large one-ear piece and a microphone attached. Throughout the early 20th century, they rapidly developed into more portable devices mainly used by the military. The first wireless headphones came in the 1960s, an era of futurist thinking, allowing people to bring their radio with them. Still, they looked different from the ones we know today, featuring radio antennas and bulky speakers in the ear cups.

That same decade saw the release of the Beatlephones, a collaboration between the John Koss audio company and The Beatles that started marketing headphones to teenagers, changing their usage and demographic in the process. Then, came the 1980s, when Sony’s Walkman cassette player upended music and radio listening, transforming it from passive to an on-the-go activity.

By the beginning of the 21st century, the rise of iPods brought forth the wired EarPods, making their easily-tangled white strings the protagonists of this era. Similarly, Bluetooth technology revolutionized the way people listen to music and communicate, allowing tech companies to play more with the look and feel of headphones, including the popular Beats by Dr Dre headphones that updated the vintage over-the-ear headphones with a wide range of colors.

Take,for example, Succession’s Kendall Roy, who wears over the ear headphones because he’s trying to tell us he’s hipper than his L-to-the-OG dad, Logan. Listening to Jay-Z while being driven to his dad’s company and dressed in thousand-dollar suits, Roy is trying to be the kind of “progressive” billionaire that attempts to be so cool it’s borderline hilarious. Meanwhile, today’s It girls like Bella Hadid sport wired headphones to channel a nostalgic look, preferring the ones made cool during the Y2K era. Then there’s the stereotypical finance executive look that has made in-ear wireless headphones synonymous with this sector, essentially showing their knack for any tech that’s ahead of the curve.

Headphones are functional. They allow us to be on-the-go, while still jamming to our favorite music. Putting on headphones has always been about being at the forefront of technology.

2.The headphones you use seem to reflect the state of your life.

My generation did grow up in the time of wired headphones, but it was at the point when the sleek white string of Apple earphones hung over your outfit. As such, I just could never understand why other commuters chose over-the-ear headphones, or even wireless Airpods. I’ve seen women carry two-to-three tote bags that keep getting tangled with their clothes, for example. A pair of wireless headphones could make them look like someone who has their life together, while over-the-ear headphones could make them look like they’re straight out of a party at the office. It’s no wonder brands have put so much effort on the look of their headphones over the years.

Apple’s AirPods Max wireless headphones have adopted sleeker looks than older pairs of over-the-ear models, making them more fashionable in the process, with a variety of colors available. Similarly, They also choose a nice, comfy earphone box packaging for their headphones.luxury fashion and tech brands like Montblanc, Bang & Olufsen, Bose have prioritized minimal styles in their versions of over-the-ear wireless headphones, including materials like leather and memory foam.

On the other hand, brands like Nothing an emerging tech company making affordable audio products have opted to make their wireless in-ear headphones transparent, showing the hardware involved in the buds to anyone who looks at them, making for a rawer look. On the wired front, Sony MDR in-ear headphones have added a metallic sheen to their buds with a variety of colors to choose from, while Apple has stayed true to its white wired headphones for nearly 30 years now, betting on their capacity to blend in.

While most commuters put so much effort in telling the world who they are through their clothes, their headphones probably say as much if not more about their personality. Yet, unlike most of our fashion choices, it’s not a decision we put as much thought into beyond their tech aspect. So the next time you think about your headphones, it might be a good moment to consider what they, along with your outfit, tell the world about who you are. If not, just at least consider how they make the outfit — they’ll do it on their own, anyway.

3.How about wearing headphones and listening to music while walking?

Over-ear headphones sound good. Simple as that. Also, they are comfortable. But you should have a clear idea of what the designers intended when they invented headphones.

In my lifetime, I have seen people, so zoned out while wearing earphones, that they have done the following:

Walked out in front of a moving (Pick one:) truck, forklift, or car and except for the alert driver would have not only was not killed but never knew it!

While on the phone, completely oblivious to everyone around, held conversations that spelled out at length, the most intimate of details regarding sex, legal matters or even their financial details - including social security numbers.

Saw a dude who was so completely into his tunes that he fell down into an open manhole - missing the obvious orange cones and barricades.

Danced off a roof while roofing. Fortunately it was only one story tall, so he only broke one leg. Didn’t actually see this, but I knew the guy. His wife had a lot to say on the subject, though.

Again, I did not see this one, but I heard about it - a welder back in the weld shop manged to set himself on fire and didn’t know it. It wasn’t being on fire that was all the trouble, it was the fact everyone hollering at him and he couldn’t HEAR them that caused all the grief. They had to physically run over and tell him. He was eventually fired. Partly for not wearing the required fireproofed clothing and partly for making himself a working hazard.

When you are in public, you should always be aware of possible hazards and dangers.

With headphones, their very design is to defeat that purpose.

4.Is it a bad idea to workout with over-ear headphones?

I'm just asking out of curiosity, is it a bad idea to workout with over-ear headphones. My bluetooth headphones crapped out on me in the middle of my last workout. I was looking around the gym and was surprised to see so many people wearing over-ear headphones while working out. I'd be too nervous about damaging my Audio Technica M40x's with sweat. Do people just do this because Beats ads frequently show athletes wearing them, or am I worried over nothing?

Yeah should be fine, just keep them clean. Really I just feel like they'd be uncomfortable and might fall off, but it depends on what you're physically doing and how well the cans fit, or how oddly shaped your head is, I guess.

Probably depends on what kind of workout you do, if you're just doing slow cardio on a treadmill, probably not a big deal as your phone/amp would be stationary in the water bottle holder.

I do a powerlifting routine 4x a week with 30 minutes of cardio (jogging or rowing) after, I've tried wearing over and on-ear cans before and was annoyed with it. If I'm slinging weights around I've got my headphone cord under my shirt and out of the way, having cans on is just another thing to worry about falling off, getting in the way, damaging, etc. Plus once you get a sweat going it can't be hygienic.

I like these, per Wirecutters recommendation. Cheap enough to not worry about damaging, water (sweat) resistant, different sizes of inserts to make sure you get a good fit, and good enough sound for the gym environment