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Here's how to see this dress as both white and gold and black and blue

Posted February 26, 2015 10:00 pm

Kirsten Acuna

This viral dress has divided the internet over its coloring.

People are seeing the dress in varying colors due to the different ways in which they perceive colors.

As a result, some are seeing it as white and gold, while others are seeing it as blue and black.

Some see it as both.

Others are struggling to see it as blue and black. A few people have told me they can't see it as white and gold at all.

The actual dress is black and blue.

Like many, initially, I could only see the ubiquitous dress in gold and white.

After a minor tweak in how I was focusing on the image, I finally saw the dress as black and blue. Now, I see it as all four colors interchangeably.

How?

Think of the dress as an optical illusion. What your eyes see is dependent on where you're focusing.

In the below photo, do you see the word "liar" or a picture of a face?

Tilt your head sideways while focusing on the most left area in white and you should immediately see the word liar which is underlined below.

Now, focus on the same visual cues vertically. You should quickly see the letters change into visible eyes, a nose, and lips.

You can apply the same technique to the viral dress.

<h3 class="p1">See the Dress as White and Gold</h3>

Focus on the brightest parts of the dress near the top of the image for several seconds before looking at the rest of the dress.

Photoshop tells us these are the areas closest to white and gold in the photo.

Here's how Photoshop breaks down the colors highlighted above.

<h3 class="p1">See the Dress as Black and Blue</h3>

Now, focus on the darkest parts of the dress in the image below for a few seconds before pulling your face back and looking at the photo as a whole.

This one may take a while longer to master if you're used to seeing the dress in white and gold.

The darkest parts of the dress are found near the very bottom of the photo.

<img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/54f0f2e8ecad0481797e2807-600-912/the-dress-black-blue.jpg" border="0" alt="the dress black blue">

Here's how the colors look on Photoshop.

<img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/54f0f6a669beddad15d7a41e-800-315/blue-black-dress-.jpg" border="0" alt="blue black dress ">

<h3 class="p1">Still not seeing it? </h3>

Try this.

Most people are being introduced to the dress photo online by scrolling down from top to bottom.

This is forcing people to be introduced to the brightest parts of the image first which may help explain why so many are viewing the dress incorrectly.

Instead, try scrolling from the bottom of the photo to the top. That way, your rods and cones are being introduced to the darkest parts of the image first which may alter your overall perception of the photo.

NOW WATCH: This super sexy Carl's Jr Super Bowl ad has gone totally viral

See Also:

<ul><li>2 women are behind the viral dress that has everyone confused Here's what they told us</li><li>This dress looks white and gold to me, but Google says it's black and blue</li><li>The internet is losing its composure over this dress that might be white and gold or black and blue</li></ul>

AND: 2 women are behind the viral dress that everyone is talking about

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