The actual dress was black and blue. The confusion came from how lighting and color perception tricked people's brains, making some see it as white and gold. It became a viral example The Dress Debate: Science Explains Why Some See Blue And Black And Others White And Gold Happy 10th anniversary to the original photograph of "The Dress" and the subsequent internet debate over white and gold or black and blue : r popculturechat TheDress Auction: White and Gold Dress to Benefit Charity The dress' went viral 10 years ago and taught us the science of color