Ninja headbands are by far the most iconic accessory of the Naruto franchise. These forehead protectors are worn by nearly everybody claiming to be a shinobi. Not only do they block against minor attacks, but they all have symbols indicating who these ninjas are and where they come from. They seem to be an essential part of the lore and the world of Naruto, but that might not have always been the case.
Back when the series was being conceived, Naruto's iconic accessory was supposed to be a pair of goggles, not a headband. He's even shown wearing these goggles at the start of the series and, later, they're worn by Konohamaru and his friends. These were a pretty cool-looking pair of goggles, so maybe they could have reached the same level of popularity as the headbands.
Kishimoto Masashi removed the goggles for one simple reason-streamlining. He realized that drawing the goggles on a weekly basis would be much too time-consuming. He decided to use the headband as a viable substitute.
This isn't the only time that Kishimoto streamlined a character's design, either. Apparently, Sasuke was supposed to have a necklace and several more accessories on his arms and legs. Once again, these details were removed to make the character easier to draw on a weekly basis.
In the grand scheme of things, making the forehead protector the norm might have been the best option. While not exclusive to Naruto, they offer a unique look not only for the main character but the whole cast. Even if somebody hasn't watched the series, they can still look at a character wearing the headband and think "Oh, he must be from Naruto." In this way, the headbands have far greater potential to be iconic than the goggles ever did.
Not only are the headbands iconic, but they're also stylish. There are all sorts of ways to wear the headband depending on the individual. In addition to the forehead, they can also be worn around the neck or arm. It can also be fashioned into a hairband, a bandanna, a chest piece, or even a belt. It's also possible to alter the symbol to what the wearer pleases, including Jiraiya's "oil" kanji (油) or the Ninja Alliance's "shinobi" kanji (忍). Even if the goggles weren't exclusive to Naruto, it's difficult to imagine that Kishimoto could have gotten anywhere near this much stylistic mileage out of them.
Naruto's switch from goggles to a forehead protector ultimately turned out for the better. The headband is simpler to draw and much easier to stylize. The goggles might have been nice, but the headband was definitely the right choice.