The shape of a running shoe, the sole of something from a sci-fi movie and a color that wouldn’t look out of place on a particularly expensive piece of furniture. adidas has certainly taken a few liberties with this one. And we’re glad it did.

The adidas Terra Mono Lightstrike isn’t exactly playing by the usual sneaker rulebook. 

Its sculpted, almost melted-looking construction gives it a rather unusual silhouette, while the muted chocolate brown finish keeps things from getting too outlandish. It’s technical without looking like it’s trying to summit a mountain, which is something of a win.

There’s a certain charm to sneakers that don’t immediately make sense. You might not know what to wear them with at first, but that’s half the fun. A simple pair of trousers and a good jacket should do the trick, although these could probably make a tracksuit look considerably more interesting, too.

The Lightstrike cushioning brings some comfort to all that visual experimentation, so there’s no need to treat them like a museum piece.

Not every sneaker needs to be an instant classic. Sometimes it’s enough to give your wardrobe something a little stranger to work with.