The Science Behind the Black and Blue (or White and Gold) Dress How "The Dress" Became an Illusion Unlike Any Other Scientific American Dress drama: Blue and black or white and gold? What's the science? Genetic Literacy Project Blue black or white gold? The dress debate is over 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