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YOU MAY HAVE missed it but there was a heated debate over a dress last night.
Specifically, this dress right here.
Starting out life as a Tumblr post, most people couldn’t agree on what colour it was. Some people saw a blue and black dress, others saw a gold and white dress and somehow that divided everyone into two camps.
So what colour is it exactly? And why were people so divided on this?
Perception
Let’s start off with the obvious problem with that photo: it’s horribly overexposed. The background (or what you can make out of it) is almost impossible to make out and everything around the dress is hidden by a bright light.
Chances are this photo was taken very quickly or it was made to focus on the dark parts of the dress, either way, the camera overcompensates for this and it messes up the composition of the photo. More importantly, it messes up how we perceive the colours of a photo.
To give a quick example, here are two photos we took in the office. The first one here shows how it looks when the camera is left to auto (This is taken just after 7:30am for those wondering).
Now here are two photos with different focus points. The left photo focuses on the background (the windows) while the right photo focuses on the foreground (in this case, the chair with the black backing).
It’s an extreme example but there’s a significant difference in how these colours are presented, and more importantly, just how bright they appear to be. The autofocus is to brighten up shadows so you can see the entire room but when it focuses on a dark surface, it brightens it at the expense of everything else around it.
So here’s the original compared with an edited version on the right which effectively reduces the brightness (and a small bit of RGB adjustment using Darkroom).
It’s clearer now, but the reason why some see it as white and gold relates to how we perceive colours. As a quick example, this optical illusion below called the checker shadow illusion asks what colour squares A and B are.
The answer is they’re both the same colour and shade. The reason we see differently is because we’re not very good at determining brightness and since we’re trying to determine the grey shades of the checks from the floor, our expectations tend to mess that up. We expect paint has sharp edges while shadows are soft, but that’s not the case here (there’s a much longer explanation here for those interested).
Here’s another diagram proving this.
So in short, the dress is black and blue. Now let’s never speak of this again.
(Also, if you want further detail about the science behind that image, Wired has a great piece detailing how we perceive objects and colour).
This article is a perfect example of what happens if you’re left alone in the office as a punishment while everyone else goes to the pub.
I almost always see it as white and gold, but once saw it as blue and black before I scrolled down and back up again. It’s freaky.
Did they change the image?
No.
Its a bit like my profile pic you see a green background with a white egg. Click on my name you’ll see an officer frisking a hells angel dog.
at 7.30am?
@Lily, that was cool
I don’t see what the fuzz is all about it is obviously white/gold , you have to be colour blind to see different.
When you see it as blue and black it is very blue and black. Some people are looking at it as if it’s just a subtle difference in interpretation. It really isn’t. The blue is somewhere between royal blue and navy. The black is, well, black. It’s like looking at a completely different dress.
The dress is white and gold and enough of the witchcraft to the contrary
I’m obviously missing some gag here.
The dress is blue/black.
I can’t see white and gold at all. It’s blue & black!
If you’re smart and intelligent and really attractive you see white and gold – if you see blue and black you are not.
It’s actally made from the same material as my hat….tinfoil.
It’s white and gold, you are all mentalers.
It’s green and orange with purple spots.
Though I’m starting to see an image of bishop brennan in some of the stitching now I look closer at it…..
It’s there, right at the bottom of the dress.
You ready with the camera @Journal???
Actually now that you mention it…
*Plugs out modem, turns off laptop, bins the lot* – That’s enough of that nonsense.
How did you post this?
On my phone with 4G data :)
It’s a horrible badly made dress and jacket never mind about the colour!
@Rocket. So not enough of it then?
Don’t worry, we are all addicted
@Ían I tried… I really tried…. It just dragged me right back in! :(
The dress is white and gold. End of story.
Your assume there was a story to start with
There is a pic of the actual dress here. white and gold opinion holders, which seem to be the majority, have issues perceiving the photo correctly.
Strange phenomena, it’ll be interesting to find out for sure what is the cause, as right now it’s only conjecture.
Ignoring the dress, I’ll never be convinced that block a and block b are the same colour
I always thought that as well. Copy paste the image into paint or preview, select and copy a bit of the A square and paste it onto the B square. It’s identical.
The world is a strange, strange place…
Just did that, freaky as hell. Even after doing it my brain says no!
But more importantly, does it make your bum look big?
If you’re arse is like Kim Kardashian then……yes most definitely.
No, your bum makes your bum look big
No. Chocolate makes your bum look big.
So do squats. #donthate
‘So here’s the original compared with an edited version on the right which effectively reduces the brightness (and a small bit of RGB adjustment using Darkroom).’
Really? So what you are saying is, that if you heavily edit the picture, and adjust the colours of the dress…then the colour of the dress will change?
Is it really and truly black? I will never trust my gold seeing eyes again. It looks gold to me even in the second pick.
I’d argue that it’s silver and not white though.
I thought the same until I caught the pic at a side angle and I went O
It is black and deep blue.
Look at the pic dead on and its how you describe. Ive tried darkening the room but still stays the same.
Why do I see Blue and Gold????
Because you touch yourself at night.
Well not all of us can lick ourselves Mr. Cat
Did you lose your tongue in a horrific accident?
Cat caught his tongue . . .
My wife sees blue and gold as well, she’s relieved that she’s not the only one.
This is weird. I saw white and gold, I then went about my business with other stuff on my pc and now I have come back and it looks blue and black….is this some kind of changing illusion or am I just special ….
I see it differently on my monitor and my phone
Exact same. I’m convinced the journal changed the pic
I don’t get it. It’s obviously blue and black. Like… how are people seeing white & gold.
Mind bottling! Like when you’re thoughts get all trapped like inside a bottle.
Mind bottling??
When things are so crazy it gets your thoughts all trapped, like in a bottle??
Such a quotable show
Wtf?!? It’s white and gold!!!
This tinternet thing is goin downhill fast, 2 poxy on the run llamas and what colour is this dress? WTFeck like
Sky blue and grey/brown
Lilac and Old Gold
Lilac & Brown – Photoshop dropper tool of both colours: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/60352061/dress.jpg
That looks like grey and dirty mustard.
Then that’s the colour of the dress. But 100% no white – and 100% no black.
Thats it exactly!!!
Colour doesn’t matter. A dress is a dress.
YOU’RE ALL RACIST!!!
I Am Tired Of This Devil
I Am Tired Of This Stuff
I Am Tired Of This Business
So When The
Going Gets Rough
I Ain’t Scared Of
Your Brother
I Ain’t Scared Of No Sheets
I Ain’t Scare Of Nobody
Girl When The
Goin’ Gets Mean
But, If
You’re Thinkin’
About My DRESS
It Don’t Matter If IT’S
Black Or White
*Michael Jackson ♡♡♡
Th only thing I see in that photo is a blue and black dress… Sure it’s right there in the middle….!
One thing is for sure , she is going to have a terrible hard time trying to find the bag and shoes to match!!!
What in the name of Christ have I just read??????
Am I the only one that sees blue and gold/brown???
It’s Blue and Black. I don’t see a hint of White and Gold. Is that right or wrong?
The Emperor has no clothes
It’s white and like a nude gold colour.. It can’t be blue and black..can it? I really am v confused
*BREAKING NEWS! IT’S NOT A DRESS AT ALL. IT’S BRUCE WILLIS
It is an arse in other words?
The *ACTUAL* dress is blue and black:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Roman-Womens-Detail-Bodycon-Dress/dp/B00SJEUCWU
The reviews on that are great!
I depends on the contrast and brightness of your monitor. I see both combinations depending on how my screen is adjusted. First is was blue and black, now its clearly white and gold. Nobody here is more or less special than anyone else. It got me thinking though.
Ah, that would explain it (maybe, I didn’t change the contrast but perhaps I adjusted the screen a millimeter or two)
My son and I looked at it on my iPhone and he sees it as black and blue, whereas I see white and gold, in both photos!!
But no matter how much you adjust the contrast, people who see blue never see the white/gold version, but it works the other way around – there seems to be an equal mix for those who have seen it; those who see only blue, those who see only white, and those who see white, but it changes to blue while looking/scrolling part it.
I think we need to start labeling people by how they view this – it could be the biggest scientific breakthrough in how minds work (or just a load of crap from tumblr).
I’m seeing it as both at different times now, while looking at it, it changes!
Anybody else see blue and gold
I’m seeing blue and black ….. I’m soooo worried!!!! Damn it that’s my Friday ruined now ;-)
It’s clearly blue and black to me. I don’t understand how anyone can see otherwise.
Maybe we share a gene that makes us see things they way they are.
Well it’s a known fact that men are colour blind !
Why does anyone actually care?
Because some stupid people are seeing white & gold. They need to know they’re stupid.
This shit has blown my mind. .. I have seen blue and black, then white and gold and now it’s a disgusting baby blue and brown combo… and my eyes feel like they are going to explode!
Whaa haa haa
Its gold and silvery-bluey-white. *not white, white.
Not blue n black.
I don’t get it. I see a white and gold dress. What’s the deal?
I’ve just seen this on Instagram & it’s Blue & black, couldn’t understand why some were saying white & gold, now here it’s white & gold to me, anyone seen it as blue & black here?
It’s blue and black?
Perception summed up nicely – “These are small cows, those ones are far away”
Who carws
Cares
That’s perspective Conor, not perception.
Can tell you one thing that this debacle has cleared up – if I want judgement on clothes, I won’t be asking anyone who’s seen blue and black in that picture along to the shops
Bluey grey and gold
I’ll let you all in on the joke – this started on Reddit and everyone saying White & Gold are trolling.
Sorry to ruin it guys. Oh, and the the plan was also to give people another option which is equally as dumb (black & blue), so everyone is arguing over 2 sets of wrong colours. Blue is close though – but it’s more lilac. And there’s no black – it’s brown.
Here are the 2 actual colours, using the Photoshop dropper tool. Where’s the white, gold, and black? Oh yeah – nowhere.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/60352061/dress.jpg
I see white and gold. I don’t use reddit and I’m not in on any joke.
I my bosses 85 year old father what colours he sees and he says blue and black. He most certainly has never even heard of reddit and even if he had, he wouldn’t take part in anything.
I think you missed the joke yourself. I tried it with two kids who have never been on the internet, and they had different results… Completely freaks them out, which is a bonus!
Who gives a f#@k, its rotten no matter what colour it is….ps its white and gold
and this is why we will always need the print media. Cutting edge from the the journal!
It’s a sailboat!
In other news ,,, journal commenters continue to type with their noses !!
Fohehjkbfssyjnfssfjk bfdferjnfsgjkjfdthvs . Talented bunch, so they are
Who fkn cares?????Seriously!!!!
It’s blue & BROWN, you morons.
I must be the only person in the world that hasn’t seen this til now (10pm Friday ) . I can kinda see how people may see the black as gold but how the blue is seen as white is baffling me
The photo of this dress is horribly overexposed, so the perception of it being taupe and off white instead if it appearing blue and black proves Edward H Adelsons theory
http://youtu.be/z9Sen1HTu5o
http://web.mit.edu/persci/people/adelson/checkershadow_proof.html
I ordered a cheesburger.
What camera app is that?
If people see white on that dress then it must belong to Monica Lewinsky?
There is another top/dress in the background which has black and white patches. The “black” on the dress in question does not match the black on the one behind!
It’s pink with blue stripes
This literally just changed colour as I was looking at it
I think it is blue and gold #thatdress
I’m the words of Elsa “let it Go”
The fools, the fools, experts say it is the cones and rods in the eye but my view is it is the different angles people hold their crystal display screen at? A group of people look at the screen from different angles and they see different shades of stuff fron a screen that changes colours as you move it, and no scientist picked up on that?
I’ve been seeing it as blue and Army Green with Gold, I wanna contact the designer.
Its red and white ..
Its white and gold. And if anyone would like to donate the dress to me i’d be a very happy camper.
For a moment I thought ‘That dress’ was on The Late Late Shoe last night with a drag queen in it. Then I realised it was just Linda Martin.
If i see this dress one more time….its hideous anyway burn it
172,183 views for an article about the colour of a dress. Weird.
What a fantastic explanation,I need a large drink now!
I wrote a post a few years ago which explains what happens with the colour http://moodsmith.com/parenting-tips/
Does that graph only have 99% or am I just seeing things ?
Blue and brown !
Not news! Get over it
I’m partially colour blind so I see blue and gold. Come on the 1% missing!!!
Pathetic, waste of air time and media time
have your say