Is That Dress White and Gold or Blue and Black? The New York Times The photo's poor lighting caused some people to see the dress as white and gold, due to how the brain interprets color under different lighting conditions. It was later confirmed to be Is That Dress White and Gold or Blue and Black? The New York Times 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