Black and Blue or Gold and White? The truth behind the dress Dancing Queen 1999 Long Quinceanera Dress Bahama Blue Lilac Small 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 I See White and Gold, but the Dress Taught Me How We Shape Our Own Reality by Shaant A Culturated Medium thedress The Australian Here's why people saw the dress differently.