A decade after the infamous optical illusion known as The Dress took the internet by storm,
the Today show revived the debate by having co-anchor Jenna Bush Hager wear the dress on live television.
The viral sensation, which divided people over whether the garment appeared white and gold or blue and black, remains one of the internet’s most famous optical illusions.
Reliving the Internet Sensation
On the anniversary of the original 2015 post, Bush Hager stepped onto the Today set wearing the now-iconic dress.
She dramatically removed a white robe to reveal the garment, playfully stating, “It is clearly blue and black, right?
And that’s what made this thing so mind-blowing because the answer is not what we expect.”
The moment instantly reignited the debate, with co-hosts and viewers weighing in on what colors they saw. While Carson Daly and Willie Geist insisted the dress was black and blue, Bush Hager and Savannah Guthrie remained convinced it was white and gold.
Weatherman Al Roker, however, was far less amused by the renewed conversation, quipping, “Where was anybody in the control room about a minute ago? We could have ended this a lot earlier.”
The Science Behind the Optical Illusion
To help explain why The Dress divided so many people, optometrist Dr. Sarah Klibanoff appeared on the show to break down the phenomenon. She noted that the illusion was a result of how human eyes interpret color, especially in relation to shadows and lighting conditions.
“If a person saw the dress in a shadow, there’s more blue light in a shadow,” Dr. Klibanoff explained. “I’m going to filter out that blue light and I’m actually going to see the dress much more white and gold.”
This explanation sheds light on why people had such drastically different perceptions of the dress despite looking at the same image. The way an individual’s brain processes light and shadow plays a crucial role in determining which colors appear more dominant.
A Dress That Took the Internet by Storm
The original dress, designed by the brand Roman Originals, went viral after a woman posted a photograph of it online, asking for opinions on its color. Almost immediately, social media erupted into debate, with even celebrities weighing in.
Pop star Taylor Swift famously tweeted in 2015, “It’s OBVIOUSLY BLUE AND BLACK.” Meanwhile, others, including Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, found themselves on opposite sides of the debate. The overwhelming discussion led to the dress selling out almost immediately, becoming one of the most talked-about internet sensations of all time.
Borrowing a Piece of Internet History
Since the dress is no longer available for sale, Bush Hager revealed that she had to borrow it from BuzzFeed, the media outlet that originally helped launch the viral debate.
“It’s no longer available because, you know what, it was for sale 10 years ago,” she joked. “I had a 1-year-old.”
Despite the dress being a decade old, it still sparked the same level of curiosity and debate as it did in 2015. Bush Hager even poked fun at the garment, humorously commenting, “All I have to say is horizontal stripes aren’t great on anybody.”
Martha Stewart Joins the Debate
As the renewed discussion about The Dress swept social media once again, lifestyle icon Martha Stewart unexpectedly joined in. After her grandchildren introduced her to the viral photo for the first time, she took to Instagram to express her fascination with the phenomenon, stating, “I find this so interesting.”
Her reaction is a testament to the lasting impact of the dress and how it continues to captivate new audiences even a decade later.
A Debate That Never Ends
Though the viral dress has long been identified as black and blue in real life, the optical illusion it created still leaves room for debate. The Today show’s segment proved that, even ten years later, The Dress remains an internet mystery that refuses to be forgotten.
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