The Dress Debate: Science Explains Why Some See Blue And Black And Others White And Gold Is This Dress Blue And Black Or White And Gold? News9.com 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 Eleven years ago, a single photo posted on Tumblr sparked one of the biggest internet debates of all time. The dress instantly divided the world, some swore it was white and gold,