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 Women's Black And Gold Dresses REVOLVE Yellow Dress Original Gold And White Black And Blue Optical Illusion: Dress Colour Debate Goes Global BBC News What Color Is The Blue And Gold Dress Yellow Blue Dress That Looks Gold Color Black Is That Dress White and Gold or Blue and Black? The New York Times