by Michelle Christina

Created on: June 20, 2008   Last Updated: June 21, 2008

You've got the mp3 player of your dreams, a plethora of your favorite songs, and you're ready to upgrade your morning commute, right? But you won't be satisfied until you've acquired a pair of headphones that properly complete your aural escape. Toss aside the generic set that came with your purchase. Whether looking to make an investment or grab something inexpensive, you'll find a pair that jives with your personal tastes below.

Aural New York (auralnewyork.com) is a good place to start for solid color earbuds in a bright spectrum (pink, orange, blue, green, black, or white). The cords are colored as well. They're inexpensive ($19.95 before shipping), but the witty left/right ear differentiation might annoy you. You'll have to check to see whether the L or the R in their logo is a contrasting color. V-Moda (shop.v-moda.com) offers some more elegant color options, like "Gunmetal Rouge", "La Mocha", and "Midnight Blue". Models offered include the textured Vibe and Vibe-duo models, along with the simpler Bass Freq model. Prices range from $40.00 to $101.00, and you can purchase custom foam fitting tips for each style while you're at it.

If you'd prefer something that reflects your inner princess, you might opt for Elecom's Rhinestone-Studded heart eardrops (audiocubes.com). Priced at $45.99, you can definitely expect the cutest headphones on the market, but not the most incredible sound quality (ie: weak bass). But if looks are more important to you, or you're mostly listening to books on tape, these will do just fine. Audio Cubes also sells the Zumreed Dream ZHP-005 Color model - a pop inspired, highly visible alternative. They're available in highly saturated colors and have received rave reviews from customers. You'll make a pretty big impression with these for $65.99.

Not ready for the heart motif, but still want something sparkly? You probably can't drop $2400 on some Swarovski Amethyst headphones, but you'll feel better about spending $39.99 on the chic crystal studded i83 models at i-luv.com. Available in four colors, they have in-line volume control, an adjustable fit, and are thin enough not to be gaudy.

You can't write an article about headphones without mentioning WeSC (that stands for We Are The Superlative Conspiracy), a brand that supplies intense looking models from generic to professional use. Their pro series are meant for DJs, but these days everyone's either an up and coming fashion designer or DJ, so there it is. Steve Aoki, reigning DJ of the

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