The science behind #thedress Dress Debate Persists Ten Years Later Blue and black, or white and gold? The science behind The Dress debate 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 Colour Vision: Understanding #TheDress ScienceDirect The Dress: science explains why some see it as white and gold and others see it as blue and black