Fashion week taught me sunglasses are officially over (here’s what actually works now)

Okay so I had this moment at Austin Fashion Week last month that literally changed how I think about accessories. I was sitting in the second row at this local designer’s show (won’t say who because Austin fashion is tiny and I can’t burn bridges), trying to get the perfect video for my TikTok, and I realized something was… different.

Like, looking around the room at all the fashion people – editors, buyers, other content creators – nobody was wearing sunglasses. And I mean nobody. These massive, face-covering sunglasses that have been THE fashion person accessory for literally years? Gone. Completely missing from every single outfit in the room.

Instead, literally everyone had headphones. Not like, tiny AirPods that you can barely see, but these big, obvious, over-ear headphones that they were wearing like jewelry. Around their necks, on their heads, some people were even holding them like a clutch bag. It was wild.

I turned to this girl Maya who works at a PR company here and was like “when did this happen?” and she looked at me like I’d been living under a rock. She had these mint green Apple AirPods Max around her neck that probably cost more than I make in a week at the boutique.

“Girl, sunglasses are so 2022,” she said. “Headphones are the move now. Way more functional and they look better in content.”

And honestly? She was right. I started thinking about all the fashion content I’d been seeing lately on TikTok and Instagram, and yeah, all the creators I follow who actually know what they’re doing have been wearing statement headphones instead of sunglasses. I just hadn’t connected the dots until that moment.

So obviously I went home and did what any good Gen Z person does when they discover they’ve missed a trend – I researched the hell out of it. Scrolled through months of fashion week coverage, stalked every major fashion account, texted everyone I know who works in fashion. The evidence was everywhere once I started looking for it.

This shift apparently started happening like eighteen months ago but really picked up speed this year. And honestly, it makes so much sense when you think about it. Sunglasses at indoor events were always kind of ridiculous, right? We were all pretending to be too cool to make eye contact while stumbling around in dimly lit venues, trying to see collections through dark lenses. It was objectively stupid.

But headphones? They actually serve a purpose beyond just looking important. When you have headphones on, people know you’re busy, you’re working, you’re creating something. It’s like wearing a “do not disturb” sign but make it fashion. And unlike sunglasses, which everyone knows you can still see and hear through, headphones create an actual barrier. People have to physically interrupt whatever you’re listening to if they want to talk to you.

I started paying attention to what specific headphones people were wearing, because you know it matters. This isn’t about function – if it was just about listening to music, everyone would wear regular earbuds. This is about making a statement, and the headphones people choose say everything about their taste level and budget.

The Apple AirPods Max are everywhere, especially in those fun colors like sky blue and pink that scream “I have disposable income for tech that matches my outfits.” Bang & Olufsen seems to be the choice for people who want something more luxe and less obvious. I’ve seen those leather ones that cost like $500 and honestly, they do look incredible with everything.

Master & Dynamic is another big one, especially their collabs. There’s this girl who works for a major fashion blog (can’t say which one but you’d recognize it) who has the Lamborghini collaboration ones and wears them to every single event. They’re bright yellow and probably cost more than my car, but the content she gets wearing them is insane. Like, they’re basically a prop for her personal brand at this point.

The content creation angle is actually huge here. When I’m making videos for TikTok or Instagram, sunglasses are honestly kind of annoying. They hide your eye makeup, create weird reflections, and make it harder for people to connect with you through the screen. Headphones don’t cover anything important and they actually look cool on camera. Plus you can put them on and take them off as a styling moment, which works great for try-on videos and outfit transitions.

I’ve been testing this theory with my own content and the engagement difference is real. Videos where I’m wearing statement headphones get more comments about the headphones themselves, and people ask where they’re from, which is exactly the kind of interaction you want as a creator. It’s another way to show your aesthetic and give people something to aspire to buy.

But here’s the thing that’s kind of funny – a lot of people aren’t even using them for music. I was at this industry mixer thing last week and this stylist told me she bought a pair specifically to wear between meetings because they make her look busy and important, but half the time they’re not even connected to anything. She’s literally just wearing them as a fashion accessory that happens to also be functional technology.

What I love about this trend is how it reflects where fashion is right now. We’re in this moment where looking busy and creative and focused is more desirable than looking mysterious or untouchable. Sunglasses say “don’t look at me” but headphones say “I’m working on something important.” It’s a subtle shift but it makes total sense for social media culture where everyone’s supposed to be building their personal brand and hustling all the time.

The timing also makes sense when you think about how much the industry changed during the pandemic. Fashion got less about showing off and more about actual functionality. People got used to working from home, being on calls all day, needing technology that actually served a purpose. Headphones fit into that world way better than sunglasses ever could.

I decided I needed to get on this trend, obviously, because staying current with accessories is literally part of my job as a content creator. But good statement headphones are expensive and I’m still working retail to pay my bills, so I had to be strategic about it. I ended up getting the Apple AirPods Max in pink during a sale, and honestly it was worth every penny I couldn’t really afford to spend.

The first time I wore them to a fashion event, the difference was incredible. People approached me completely differently. Instead of just walking up and starting conversations like they would when I wore sunglasses, they’d wait for a break in whatever I was doing, or start with “sorry to interrupt” before asking questions. It created this automatic respect for my time and space that sunglasses never achieved.

And the content possibilities are endless. I can wear them in outfit videos as an accessory, use them in “get ready with me” content, style them with different looks. They’re functional enough that I actually use them for music and calls, but fashionable enough that they work as a styling piece. It’s the perfect accessory for someone trying to build a career around content creation.

What’s interesting is seeing how different brands are responding to this trend. Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada – they’ve all either done headphone collaborations or released their own audio products recently. It’s similar to how statement necklaces used to be the must-have accessory and then brands moved on to other things when they became too common.

That’s what happened with sunglasses, honestly. They became so ubiquitous that they lost their impact. When literally everyone from fashion editors to college students to my mom was wearing oversized designer sunglasses as a statement piece, they stopped being special. The fashion insiders had to move on to something that felt fresh and exclusive again.

For people who aren’t in fashion, this trend might seem kind of extra. Like, why wear headphones as jewelry? But that’s missing the point. In industries where image matters – fashion, content creation, creative services – your accessories communicate something about your priorities and aesthetic. Wearing statement headphones signals that you’re plugged in (literally and figuratively), that you value quality, that you’re working on something important.

I’ve been watching how this plays out on social media too. Fashion TikTok is full of creators showing off their headphone collections, styling them with different outfits, doing “headphone check” videos where they show what they’re listening to. It’s become its own content category, which proves that this isn’t just about fashion insiders anymore – it’s trickling down to everyone who cares about looking current.

The vintage angle is interesting too. I know someone who wears these old Sony headphones from the ’80s that don’t even work anymore, but they look incredible and nobody else has them. It’s the ultimate fashion flex – technology that doesn’t function but looks cooler than everyone else’s working versions. Very on-brand for someone whose entire personality is based on finding unique pieces that other people don’t have.

So what about all those expensive sunglasses we’ve all collected over the years? Are they completely useless now? Not exactly. They still serve their original purpose – protecting your eyes from actual sunlight in outdoor settings. They’re just not the go-to fashion statement accessory anymore. They’ve been demoted back to being practical instead of purely stylistic.

I still wear sunglasses when I’m actually outside during the day, but I don’t reach for them as my “I’m important and busy” accessory anymore. For that, headphones are way more effective. They create a clearer boundary and they align better with the whole “creative professional” image that’s so important for building a personal brand on social media.

What I think is really interesting about this shift is how it reflects fashion’s relationship with technology right now. We’ve had so many failed attempts at merging fashion and tech – remember when everyone thought Google Glass was going to be huge? But headphones make sense because they’re already accessories by nature. They’re meant to be worn, they’re meant to be visible, and there are already luxury brands making beautiful versions.

It’s also perfect for the current moment where everyone’s supposed to be a content creator or building a side hustle or working on some creative project. Headphones fit that narrative perfectly. They suggest you’re listening to podcasts, working on music, taking important calls – basically doing anything that sounds more impressive than just standing around at fashion events trying to network.

The price point thing is real though. Good statement headphones cost serious money, and not everyone can drop $500+ on what’s essentially a fashion accessory that also plays music. But there are options at different levels, and honestly, the visual impact is what matters most. Marshall makes some that look really cool for under $200, and even the basic Apple ones work if you get them in an interesting color.

By the time this gets published, fashion editors will probably be onto something completely different. That’s how these industry trends work – they move fast because everyone’s job depends on staying ahead of the curve. But for now, if you want to look like you understand what’s happening in fashion, invest in some statement headphones and retire the sunglasses to their designated outdoor-only role. Trust me, the content opportunities alone make it worth it.