What are the actual colors of the dress in the viral "The Dress" internet meme?

The dress in the viral “The Dress” internet meme was actually blue and black.

The controversy began in February 2015 when a photograph of a dress circulated online. Although the physical garment was blue with black lace, many viewers perceived the image as white and gold. The disagreement became a global internet phenomenon because people interpreted the photograph’s ambiguous lighting and color cues differently.

The image originated with Cecilia Bleasdale, who photographed the dress before the wedding of her daughter, Grace Johnston. Grace shared the image with friends, and musician Caitlin McNeill later posted it on Tumblr on February 26, 2015. The debate quickly spread across social media and news outlets.

The dispute was not simply a matter of people misremembering the garment. Vision researchers used it to study color constancy and how the brain estimates the lighting conditions in a scene. Roman Originals, the retailer, later produced a one-off white-and-gold version for charity, adding to the confusion.