Photo finally solves the black and blue white and gold dress debate Jenna Bush Hager wears viral 'The Dress' 10 years after debate Buy S26RW073 Evening Dresses Esposa Alexie Glitter Corset Sash Mini Dress Windsor 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