By now you’ve heard about #TheDress.
(But if you haven’t, read google.)
You’ve gotten into heated debates about its shading with coworkers, lovers, and maybe even your kids — old and young. You’ve threatened to disown people, fire people, kiss people — all over the color of a dress.
Do you see the dress as white and gold? Or blue and black? Or are you an outlier, seeing blue and gold? And, did the color combo freakishly change for you midway through your passionate debate, as it did for many ?
We know for a fact that the dress is blue and black. But still: There’s one key question that has not yet been answered:
What Does Your Color “Team” Say About You?
Does Team Black and Blue, which includes Taylor Swift, Kanye West, Mindy Kaling, and Justin Bieber, have a finer perception of color? Is Team White and Gold, which includes Kim Kardashian and Julianne Moore, more sensitive? Does the team you’re on say something subtle, or not-so, about your biology?
We’ve spoken to experts and combed through the Internet analyses to discover what it could mean if you see white and gold, or black and blue. Or both. Buckle up.
If #TheDress Looks Blue And Black To You…
It IS actually blue and black, so good job. (Photo via Wired)
- You’re a rare bird.
According to a Buzzfeed survey of nearly 3 million people, only 30 percent see blue and black. The other 70 percent see white and gold.
- Your retina is interpreting the photo as overexposed.
If you think the dress is being washed out by bright light, your brain may perceive the dress as a darker blue and black. “You’re probably seeing the photo as overexposed, meaning there is too much light, so the colors in the dress appear darker to you after the retina has compensated,” says Reena Garg, a doctor at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai.
- You could have active cones (in your eyes).
Cones help us see in the daytime and are color-sensitive, specifically to red, green, and blue. In normal lighting conditions, it is the activation of a combination of these cones that allows you to see a wide range of different colors. Since you see the dress as being washed out by bright light, your cones are in full effect.
- Your brain knows to compensate for lighting tricks.
You may be a visual person or in an artistically driven field, and you’re used to the types of illusions that lighting can play. Since your brain is familiar with it, you didn’t fall for this optical trick.
- You may be in the fashion field.
There’s a phenomenon called “priming” that can make your brain immune to the dress’s wily ways. “It could also be that you’ve seen dresses (or fabric) with the same texture or shape before, which could also affect your perception,” John Borghi, a cognitive neuroscientist at Rockefeller University, told BuzzFeed News.
- You may be red-green color deficient.
Yahoo Tech’s David Pogue raised an interesting theory: ”I think it’s really just a sensitive test of red-green color deficiency, which is pretty common,” Dr. Stephen McLeod, chairman of UCSF’s ophthalmology department told Pogue. “I’ll bet most of the people calling it black are men. It’s consistent with cone deficiency, and red-green would do it for this hue.” But while it’s an interesting hypothesis, don’t take this as a diagnosis.
If #TheDress Looks White And Gold To You…
- You’re in the majority.
According to the same Buzzfeed survey, a whopping 70 percent see white and gold. Power to the people.
- Your retina is interpreting the photo as underexposed.
If you see the background as dark, your brain may remove the blue cast and perceive the dress as being white and gold. “You’re probably seeing the photo as underexposed, meaning there is too little light and the colors in the dress appear lighter to you after the retina has compensated,” Garg says.
- You could have active rods (in your eyes).
Rods help us see in the night, and are sensitive to black and white shades. They’re most active in dim lighting conditions, so they’ve snapped into formation here, since you see the dress as set against a dim background.
- You may be better at perceiving color.
"Some cultures have many more ways of describing color than we do,” Lisa Lystad, a neuro-opthalmologist at Cleveland Clinic’s Cole Eye Institute, tells Yahoo Health. “It’s sort of like if you go to the Arctic circle and talk about snow. They have tons of different kinds of ‘snow,’” she says. By being able to see variation in this image, you may be able to see beyond what’s obvious.
If You See Other Color Combos Other Than Blue/Black Or White/Gold…
- You’re a serious mystery.
According to a Yahoo Tech survey, only 6 percent of us see something other than blue/black or white/gold.
If #TheDress Changed Colors For You…
- Your brain is game to change.
This means that something made your perception of the image adjust. It could be that you viewed the image in a different light, or saw it next to a color that made you read the colors or ambient light differently. Good job.
culled from yahoo
This is crazy.I am out of this dress debate,ah ah..Whoever came up with this dress had better start explaining.
Enough of dis dress,is not gonna put food on my table
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw this dress yesterday it was lilc and black nd I saved it only for me to check it this morning n I saw white n gold...#suprised
DeleteI saw blue and black
DeleteEnough of the dress biko
This dress is really making me think since yesterday, even had a serious argument wt my friend
DeleteAt first I saw Gold n white after 1min I saw blue n black n since av bn seeing blue and dark brown, pls I need a better explanation for ds
It's obviously blue and black....whats the fuss about...where did you guys see white and gold
DeleteImmediately I saw it, twas white and bronze I saw
Delete.
.
.
.
.
Diminishing yourself to attain certain things simply says you are not worthy of it.
@Mosi_Tash_Jazzy
ORIEGWU!!
ReplyDeleteNawah! Me, I saw blue and gold; does that mean I'm a serious mystery? Won't be surprised though, lol.
ReplyDeleteClick my name for all your celebration cakes and cupcakes, cheers
Hahahhahahaha
DeleteDis ur comment cracked me up
Ahap d dress has always been blue n black! I wonder how pple will say it's white n gold, colour blindness things!
ReplyDeleteLOL@colour blindness things
DeleteLOL@colour blindness things
DeleteBlue and black period
ReplyDeleteIt is blue and black......was wondering were you guys saw white...Hahhahaahahaa
ReplyDeleteAt last the real info is out.
ReplyDeleteThe dress is fine though. Love the colour combo.
And na which kind nonsense explanation be this one on top one ugly dress. mtchewwwwwwww.
ReplyDeleteNa wa o all these grammer Untop this clothe isokay blue and black
ReplyDeleteHehehe. Thank God I saw blue and black.
ReplyDeleteSo our eyes see differently.
No wonder, someone would say a baby looks like the father and I won't see any resemblance.
I wonder how many more things in the world are shrouded in mystery like this razz dress.
That's why also beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.
DeleteI may see someone as being beautiful , another person may not think so.
I saw a different colour ( lilac and brown )
Tired of this debate, anybody wen see black for that picture na winch!
ReplyDeleteNa lilac and gold I see abeg
ReplyDeleteYawns! Going back to bed.
ReplyDeleteSo it's blue and black?hmmmmmm
ReplyDeleteI still see blue and black and that's the actual color!
ReplyDeleteEverybody don tire for this dress,Even CNN carried the news..
ReplyDeleteLol,I see... Thanks for yesterday,Stella. You are a blessing!
ReplyDeleteThis dress again??? When my friends asked me on FB truth be told . At first glance it was gold and white to me. After taking another look in like 2 secs I saw it as blue and black.
ReplyDeleteSome even saw purple ������
Spiritual something, is it possible that more than one dress is being circulated now, I've seen it as black and blue and White and Gold. Even as Lilac, the one I saved in my fone is still White and Gold.
ReplyDeleteBut for the sake of argument, the one the prom guy is trying to match is white and gold.
These people are trying to mess with our heads. Yeye survey.
Why is it just this dress? Why haven't we argued about the colour of MTN logo,Maggi cube wrapper and other stuff, abi our retina has been on Vacation?
Exactly my tot!
DeleteWhat if more dan one dress is bn circulated???
No be small spiritual something hahahahah
While it's a possibility there are diff dresses being circulated, that theory has just been tested as I see blue and black in d prom guy picture above,while u see white and gold....
DeleteSo what is the actual color now
DeleteGood morning Stella and beauriful peeps.
ReplyDeleteShoutout to Sisi Eko!
Na your comment my brain pick cos your opinion was strictly different. (Others who thought likewise, pls pardon me as I just read the first few comments).
I checked the pix twice at different times and all I saw was BLACK & BLUE! I con dey wonder where Stella and co dey see white & gold.
Carrot is good for the eyes and guess what? It's in season NOW. Get some today!
#no offence my people#
Thank you!
Ahahah Ruby I see u. How far?
DeleteBuahhahahahahahah.
ReplyDeleteStella come back here oh!
Shebi I told you that this dress is blue and black.
Dem don mess with una head finish.
Kikikikikikikikikikikikikikikiki
Buahahaahahhaahah
White and gold kor?
Silver and white ni.
Blue n black period! Or better still blue n gold.
ReplyDeleteAbeg Stella!
Deletewe wey come see blue and gold nko?
I have looked at this pic on like four websites and I still see blue and gold.
Egbami ke!
How did gold change to black now?
DeleteCrazy ass dress
ReplyDeleteXOXO MYSTERY
Too long joor.....too hungry to read .
ReplyDeleteUgly dress
ReplyDeleteLa bebe hahahhahahahahahahahaha
DeleteNo be small ugly dress Lol
Hehhehhehehehheee, at least d argument has been solved, dnt understand all d many grammar bt I sure saw blue n blck. Kudos 2 all who saw white n Gold doe. It is explained above *signing out* happy. Weekend every1
ReplyDeleteWorld people don chop belleful- that is the "causer" of this irrelevant debate.
ReplyDelete@Loca girl, na serious overbellefulness dey worry dem.
DeleteI am a rare breed. Don't go with the masses. Wonder how people perceived this as white sha. Oh well, it has been explained why they saw what they saw other than what its supposed to be.
ReplyDeleteHandsome girl
ReplyDeleteNo.wonder. i showed someone and I guess he saw the third pic.
ReplyDeleteBecause he kept repeating 'e be like say them put on those Aba bulbs for the boutique'.
That's one ugly dress causing a global uproar
i still see white and gold
ReplyDeleteHian! This dress again?
ReplyDeleteIs okay now
ReplyDeleteI saw blue and black and blue and brown
ReplyDeleteThis is bullshit believe me
ReplyDeleteNa dem sabi o jare,nonsense
ReplyDeleteAnd I still see White and gold
ReplyDeleteThis dress again today??
ReplyDeleteAbeg make i cook my catfish peppersoup.
I have plenty movies to watch.
Me I am still seeing lilac and gold. Obiously, I am among the mystery group. Mcheeeeews
ReplyDeleteI saw blue and black and insulted everybody that saw white gold around me, then a friend opened the picture on his monitor and I bent over from the other side to show somebody and I was like ehn ehn they have posted the white and gold for pple to see the difference, the team blue and black around just went quiet, then someone said " girl it is still the same blue and black". Freaking embarrassing. So for me when I bend over it is white and gold and when am upright it is blue and black. I nfact when all team blue and black bent over from the other side of the monitor, they saw white n gold. Conclusion team blue/black - brain is upright, team white/gold brain upside down. Shalom. Runs away .
ReplyDeleteMay God forgive you for the way you embarrassed me publicly just now. The way this comment cracked me up eh! Sweet analysis
DeleteI feel this is marketing strategy
DeleteWinchy dress! Can you imagine this dress came up in a survey I was filling online yesterday? #tongue out# lolololol
ReplyDeleteLolz atlast, it's blue and black.
ReplyDeleteHow....its blue and black fa
ReplyDeleteFa ko , fo ni.
ReplyDelete