The first time you see the Nike Studio Wraps, you’re likely to think, “What are those?!” Are they shoes? Flip flops? New Vibrams? Ballet slippers? At least those were the immediate questions I had. There’s no easy answer to that deceptively difficult question, so you’re just going to have to accept the claim that they’re sorta kinda pretty much all of the above. Will these futuristic-looking hybrid shoes completely revolutionize your workout routines? Or will they simply earn you some pointing and staring from passersby on the street? Get the details on this fancy footwear right here, and decide for yourself!

The Nike Studio Wrap Three Part Footwear System is gathering tons of buzz. With open toes and rubber soles, these almost-barefoot style shoes echo lyrical dance shoes of my dance classes past. Then you add on the delicate satin ankle ribbons, and I’m instantly visually transported back to the barre where I spent many vigorous pointe classes. These ribbons actually allow you to customize the support of your shoes. While these minimalistic shoes provide enough range of motion and free grip to be a dancer’s dream shoe, the possibilities for the usefulness are absolutely endless. Imagine a yoga class or Zumba session sporting these comfy — yet protective — “shoes.” The shoes also come with a ballet flat style shoe to slip over the bare part so that your feet can go completely covered. This makes your transition from the gym to the street completely effortless. No untangling satin straps or cramming your swollen feet into pinchy flats after a training sesh. The fitness world can’t seem to decide if they love or hate the concept of barefoot-style footwear, but these seem to strike a happy medium. I personally wouldn’t want to go running in them, as I still happen to love the feel of a little art support. But I would definitely rock these as a more sanitary and structured way to enjoy barefoot or low-impact sports. Gymnasts and dancers everywhere are sure to embrace Nike’s new concept.

The only part of these shoes that I’m actually not feeling is the actual look of them. I can’t be the only one who thinks the lime green polka dots are kind of crazy, right? But are they more crazy than this futuristic design disguised in basic black? I have a feeling that these shoes are a little ahead of their time, and soon (or in about a century) we’ll all be mocking the fleshy nude tones of ballet slippers.

Nike’s keeping mysteriously mum about the widespread launch date of these bad boys: their site is adding to the hype by advertising only “coming soon, keep checking back” etc. Let us know what you think!