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 This explains how the blue black white gold dress illusion was possible. But it doesn't explain why some people saw it one way and some saw it the other, and no one seemed to see I've been thinking about "the dress" for 10 years. Here's what I've learned. Why did some people see a gold and white dress? Our Brain TheDress Blue Black, White Gold Sales are Through the Roof!!! Old People Saw White And Gold, And More Insights From A 23andMe Study Of #TheDress Fast Company