The Tech-quette Trend: "Coquette-ify" Your Desk Setup on a Budget
Don’t Buy New Tech: How to "Coquette-ify" Your Headphones and Cables
Let’s be honest: standard tech is usually pretty boring. It’s often black, grey, or sterile white. While it works great, it doesn't exactly scream "dreamy vintage romance" or fit the soft, pastel aesthetic of a carefully curated room.
If you’ve been scrolling TikTok lately, you’ve probably seen the "Tech-quette" trend—a sub-genre of the Coquette aesthetic where Gen Z is obsessed with "yassifying" boring electronics. The goal? To take sterile items like headphones, keyboards, and phone cases and make them aggressively cute and soft.
But here is the secret: You do not need to buy the $500 pink headphones.
You can achieve the exact same look by upcycling the gear you already own. Today, we are softening the silicon. We are ditching the industrial look for ribbons, pearls, and fluff. Here are three easy DIY projects to turn your desk setup into a Coquette dream.
Project 1: The "Balletcore" Headphone Covers
If there is one item defining the "Tech-quette" look right now, it is the over-ear headphone with ruffled covers. Whether you have the Apple Air Max or standard Sony headphones, this cover adds instant texture and makes your headset look like a fashion accessory rather than office gear.
The Vibe
Think "Winter Ballerina." We want fluffy textures that soften the harsh plastic lines of the headphones.
Materials List
Yarn: A fluffy Mohair or Chenille style yarn (Baby Pink, Cream, or Icy Blue).
Crochet Hook: 4.0mm or 5.0mm (check your yarn label).
Ribbon: 1/2 inch Satin Ribbon.
Decor: Safety pins and pearl charms.
The "How-To" (Simplified Pattern)
If you crochet: You are essentially making two small "beanies" for your ear cups.
The Base: Create a Magic Ring and double crochet in a circle until the flat piece matches the size of your ear cup.
The Sides: Stop increasing your stitches and just crochet around to create the "walls" of the cover.
The Viral Ruffle: On the very last row, place 3 double crochets into every stitch. This creates that viral wavy, ruffled edge that looks like a scrunchie.
Secure: Thread a piece of elastic or yarn through the edge to pull it tight over the headphones.
The "No-Sew" Hack (For Non-Crocheters)
If you don't know how to crochet, buy two large, fuzzy hair scrunchies. Stretch them entirely over the ear cushions. It gives the exact same "fluffy rim" effect for a fraction of the effort!
Styling Tip: Tie two long, drooping satin bows. Glue or safety-pin them to the bottom of the covers so they dangle down past your jawline like ribbon earrings.
Project 2: Ribbon Cable Management
Nothing ruins a soft aesthetic faster than a tangled mess of ugly black rubber wires. This project transforms your charging cords into decorative ribbons that you actually want to display.
The Vibe
Vintage telephone cords meet delicate lingerie detailing.
Materials List
Your Cables: USB chargers, mouse wires, or keyboard cables.
Ribbon: Thin satin ribbon (1/8 inch width works best for wrapping).
Adhesive: A hot glue gun or clear fabric glue.
Optional: "Telephone cord" style hair ties.
The Step-by-Step
Clean the Cord: Wipe your cable down with a little rubbing alcohol to ensure the glue sticks.
The Anchor: Place a tiny dot of glue at the very top of the cable (near the USB plug). Press the end of your ribbon into it to secure it.
The Spiral: Begin wrapping the ribbon tightly around the cord. You can wrap it so the edges overlap (hiding the cord entirely) or do a "Candy Cane" spiral where you see peeks of the white cord underneath.
The Bows: This is the most important part. Every 6 to 8 inches down the cord, tie a tiny separate bow and glue it directly onto the wrap.
Pro Tip: If you want a chunkier look, buy those plastic spiral "telephone cord" hair ties. Cut them open and wrap them around the cable for a protective layer that looks retro and adds major texture.
Project 3: The "Charm" Phone Strap
This is the ultimate accessory for the mirror selfie. We aren't making a subtle strap; we are making an oversized wristlet that looks like a piece of jewelry.
The Vibe
Heirloom jewelry box explosion.
Materials List
Stringing Material: Non-stretchy nylon cord (for durability).
Beads: The more eclectic, the better. Look for faux pearls, ceramic hearts, glass stars, and alphabet beads.
Ribbon: Velvet ribbon (Burgundy or Black contrasts well with pink beads).
The Step-by-Step
The Layout: Don't just string randomly. Lay your beads out on a towel first. Try to alternate textures—put a large ceramic heart next to a tiny gold spacer bead.
The Loop: Make sure the loop is large enough to slide easily over your hand. Double-knot it securely.
The Velvet Touch: Once your beads are strung and knotted to your phone case, take your velvet ribbon. Tie a bow over the knot where the strap connects to the phone case. This hides the ugly knot and adds that signature Coquette softness.
Final Styling: The "Desk Dump" Photo
Now that you’ve coquette-ified your tech, you need the perfect photo for Pinterest or Instagram.
Don't photograph these items on a plain table. Go for the "Messy Bed" aesthetic:
Toss a white duvet cover or a lace shawl down as your background.
Place your new ribbon-wrapped headphones in the center.
Scatter a few loose pearls and a vintage tea cup nearby.
Snap the photo in natural morning light.
Are you trying the Tech-quette trend? Which of these are you making first? Share with us!