Explanation of the Black Blue, White Gold Dress High Latitude Style Is That Dress White and Gold or Blue and Black? The New York Times Ten years ago, a photo of a dress posted on Tumblr sparked a massive debate: was it blue and black or white and gold? Millions argued online, and even celebrities joined in. Scientists later 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