Dress colour mystery solved? Expert says we're ALL RIGHT and here's why The Mirror 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 May Queen LK267 Long Ballgown Dress Sequin, Bead, Boning, Illusion, Glitter, Mid Open Back, Lace Up, Cathedral Train 4 Black Gold Shop May The White and Gold (No, Blue and Black!) Dress That Melted the Internet The New York Times Blue and black or white and gold? A decade later, it turns out the ultra viral optical illusion dress was also a boon to scientific advancement. See link below