The Truth About the Dress: Black and Blue Explained 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 What colors are this (black & blue) dress? Clix The dress' went viral 10 years ago and taught us the science of color The dress turned 11 and it's STILL white and gold PERIOD. Eleven years later the color swatches are right there and people who see blue and black are proving your eyes lie How I Flipped My Brain's View of the Black and Blue Dress Jeff Greenhouse