A welding system is provided that includes a wearable wire feeder having a wire drive motor that is responsive to a control signal received directly from a power unit. Another welding system is provided that includes a wearable wire feeder that is configured to couple to a constant voltage power unit and does not include a voltage sensor. Another welding system is provided that includes a power unit, a wearable wire feeder separate from the power unit, a cable extending directly from the power unit to the wearable wire feeder and a welding torch coupled to and separate from the wire feeder. A method is provided that includes receiving a control signal from a power unit at a wearable wire feeder and driving a welding wire from the wearable wire feeder to a welding torch in response to the control signal, wherein the wearable wire feeder is separate from the torch.