10 years later, ‘the dress that broke the internet’ still has us seeing blue… or white

Avatar photo

Compiled by Carien Grobler

Deputy Digital Editor


What started as a simple photo of a dress spiraled into a global optical illusion phenomenon, dividing millions into two passionate camps.


In February 2015, a picture of a dress ignited a global debate. Was it blue and black, or white and gold? This optical illusion captivated millions, leading to widespread discussions and media coverage.

Fast forward to February 2025, and the debate is still alive.

It all began when Cecilia Bleasdale from Scotland snapped a picture of a dress she intended to wear to her daughter’s wedding. She sent the image to her daughter, Grace, who was perplexed by the colours.

MailOnline reported that Grace saw it as white and gold, while Cecilia insisted it was blue and black. The colourful conundrum soon spread like wildfire across social media platforms, and people worldwide divided into two camps: Team White and Gold and Team Blue and Black.

Despite the passage of a decade, the debate continues to captivate audiences, highlighting the enduring intrigue of this optical illusion.

The dress in question was a royal blue lace bodycon creation from the retailer Roman Originals. Despite the online uproar, the retailer experienced a significant sales boost, with the dress selling out rapidly.

Celebrities joined the debate, with Taylor Swift declaring, “It’s OBVIOUSLY BLUE AND BLACK.” Kim Kardashian saw it as white and gold. Kardashian’s then-husband, Kanye West, saw it as blue and black.

The discussion became so intense that even Ellen DeGeneres humorously posted, “From this day on, the world will be divided into two people. Blue and black, or white and gold.”

10th anniversary sparks renewed colour debate

On the recent 10th anniversary of the viral sensation, Today co-anchor Jenna Bush Hager donned the infamous dress. This sparked renewed discussions about its colours.

Bush Hager, firmly in the white-and-gold camp, called on optometrist Dr Sarah Klibanoff to help unravel the mystery. Klibanoff described the viral image as the “perfect storm to create an optical illusion”, due to the dress being bathed in shadow.

“If a person, let’s say, saw the dress in a shadow, there’s more blue light in a shadow,” she said. “I’m going to filter out that blue light. Then I’m actually going to see the dress much more white and gold.”

So, essentially, it’s all about the power of shadows and a little light filtering magic.

Watch Jenna Bush Hager wearing the dress here:

The dark side of ‘the dress that broke the internet’

On 6 March 2022, Keir Johnston, who married Grace in 2015, turned violent, pinning her down and waving around a knife at their home in Scotland.

It was a tragic twist for a couple who once experienced brief but explosive fame as the faces behind “the dress that broke the internet”.

Their whirlwind journey included an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, where they were gifted $10 000 and a luxury trip to Grenada. But fame didn’t come without costs.

The dress caused tension in their family and created a rift between Grace and her mother, who had worn it to the wedding.

As if that wasn’t enough, the dress was later used in a charity campaign about violence against women.

In May 2024, a judge learned that Keir Johnston had a history of domestic abuse towards his wife, Grace Johnston. The petrol station attendant pleaded guilty to assaulting her, causing injury and putting her life in danger.

Prosecutor Chris Macintosh revealed that Grace had previously endured domestic violence. This included an attempt to strangle her before the 2022 attack.

No credit, no thanks, nothing

Meanwhile, Bleasdale, who had received a free dress from the retailer after the photo went viral, was reportedly upset that she didn’t get more items.

Bleasdale and Paul Jinks, the couple who took the picture, spoke to the BBC then. “Well, we were completely left out of the story,” Jinks said. “It all happened so fast,” Bleasdale added. “We had no control.”

They even sought legal advice to protect their copyright of the image.

“You saw all the companies using the blue and black and white and gold to sell their products and nobody wanted to miss out,” she recalled. Jinks said more bluntly: “They’ve taken our property. They profited off it without even giving us a credit, a thank you, nothing.”

NOW READ: Retail mind games: How your wallet gets played

Share this article

Read more on these topics

debate pictures

Download our app