Why is it that we want our belongings to do more for us than to function well?

When addressing this question, i think back to last week when i purchased a pair of Skullcandy headphones from zavvi for £40. At the time of purchase, ebuyer were offering an unbranded, standard pair of headphones for £5. As human beings we are superficial in many ways, being attracted to exceptional/innovative design as opposed to the norm. The reason i spent £40 on the Skullcandy headphones was because i found them appealing to look at, this means that not only do they function as headphones, they almost become a fashion accessory.

In my opinion, technology has recently begun to tie in with fashion. Apples range of products such as the iPhone and iPod are now all common household names and the attractive and innovative design makes the person who uses these products more stylish in some way. This has caused other designers to follow suite, and the Skull Candy Lowrider headphones are certainly trendy to look at. The ergonomics of the product are also convenient however, with a plush leather frame that would not be found on other, cheaper headphones. The consumer of today requires their product to exceed its basic use and become an accessory.