Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Add Upworthy to your Google News feed.
Google News Button

If there’s one viral phenomenon that proved the internet’s ability to divide and unite us, it’s The Dress. Jason Pargin’s recent TikTok revisiting the optical illusion has reignited the internet’s obsession nearly a decade later, with 3.3 million views and counting. The video goes into the photo’s origins, its viral spread, and its strange aftermath.In the video, Pargin recounts the story of how The Dress first took over the internet in February 2015. "It all started with a very simple question," he explains. "What color do you think this dress is?" The viral photo revealed an even split between people who saw blue and black and those who insisted it was white and gold.

"This all happened because a woman was at a dress shop looking for something to wear to her daughter's wedding," Pargin says. "She took a picture of this dress and sent it to her saying, ‘What do you think?’ The dress is blue and black in real life, but it was her daughter—the very first person to ever see the photo—who said, ‘Oh, so you're wearing white and gold?’"



The ensuing debate roped in everyone from celebrities to everyday internet users. "Taylor Swift saw it as blue and black. Kim Kardashian saw it as white and gold, but her then-husband Kanye West saw blue and black," Pargin notes.

Why Does It Happen?

Nearly a decade later, scientists still don’t fully understand why some people see the dress as blue and black while others insist it’s white and gold. Pargin highlights some illustrations that attempt to explain the phenomenon: it seems to depend on how your brain interprets the lighting conditions in the photo.

upload.wikimedia.org



"But the crazy thing is," Pargin says, "with any optical illusion, usually you can make yourself see it both ways once you know what people are looking at. But I've never met anyone who could make themselves see both colors. It is either obviously one or obviously the other."

This image from USA Today demonstrates how changes in lighting can alter perception:

TikTok Comments and Nostalgia

The video’s comments section is filled with nostalgia, fresh debates, and funny takes. One user wrote, “I’ve been trying to make myself see white and gold for 10 years. I’ve never managed it.” Another added, “I thought the dark twist was that they were forced to meet Ellen Degeneres.”

Many commenters also brought up other viral internet debates that have sparked similar chaos, like Yanni/Laurel or the “Flashed Face Distortion Effect," a face-mutation illusion where people’s features morph when you focus on two shifting images.

Flashed face distortion effect

File:Flashed face distortion effect.webm - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org

These moments remind us that the internet’s fascination with optical tricks and perception debates is far from over. One user wrote, “I’ve been trying to make myself see white and gold for 10 years. I’ve never managed it.” Another added, “I thought the dark twist was that they were forced to meet Ellen Degeneres.”

As The Dress approaches its 10th anniversary, Pargin’s TikTok has sparked fresh conversations about color perception and optical illusions. Whether you see blue and black or white and gold, one thing is certain: The Dress still has the power to fascinate us all.

More For You

A car dealer and a customer exchanging a set of keys.

Representative Image: For some people buying a new car is harder than it is for others.

BMW salesman denies woman a test drive. Her response is the ultimate power move.

Racial profiling remains a serious issue, impacting countless people in everyday situations—including something as simple as shopping for a car. A TikTok user, @ta.mia.a, recently shared her frustrating experience at a BMW dealership where a salesman refused to let her test drive a car, despite her being prepared to pay cash for it. Instead of backing down, she decided to take her business elsewhere—and her response quickly went viral.

Her video, which has over a million views, struck a chord with many people who have faced similar treatment. The text overlay read:

Keep ReadingShow less
9-year-old with autism stuns the world with an IQ higher than Einstein
Cover Image Source: Instagram/Adhara Maite Pérez Sánchez

9-year-old with autism stuns the world with an IQ higher than Einstein

At just 9 years old, Adhara Pérez Sánchez has achieved what most people can’t even imagine. The Mexico City native has an IQ of 162—higher than Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking, who were both estimated to have IQs of 160, according to PEOPLE.

Despite facing relentless bullying due to her autism diagnosis, Pérez has not only graduated high school but is also pursuing two college degrees in systems engineering and mathematics.

Keep ReadingShow less
Teacher unleashes glorious payback against school after forced to pay for class trip himself
Representative image by Canva

Teacher unleashes glorious payback against school after forced to pay for class trip himself

School excursions often provide unforgettable experiences and bonding opportunities for students, but for teachers, they can be loaded with logistical headaches. So when a teacher was asked to single-handedly finance a field trip—with zero compensation—Reddit user u/Unfunded_Teacher took to the platform to vent about this bizarre demand.

Representative photo by Pexels | Anny Patterson

Keep ReadingShow less
The shopping cart test: the viral theory that claims to reveal who’s a “good” person
Representative photo by Joshua Rawson-Harris | Unsplash

The shopping cart test: the viral theory that claims to reveal who’s a “good” person

A simple decision at the grocery store—returning a shopping cart or leaving it in the parking lot—might say more about your personality than you realize. According to a viral theory, this everyday action is actually a litmus test for self-governance and social responsibility.

The idea, originally posted on 4chan, suggests that putting a cart back in its designated place is a sign of good character. Unlike other social norms, there are no immediate consequences for abandoning a cart, making it a pure test of whether someone will do the right thing without being forced.

Keep ReadingShow less
McDonald’s gave employees this ‘bonus’ and people couldn’t believe it
Representative photo by JESHOOTS.COM | Unsplash

McDonald’s gave employees this ‘bonus’ and people couldn’t believe it

Many employees hope for some kind of appreciation from their companies at the end of the year—whether it's a bonus, a gift, or even just a thoughtful gesture. But for one McDonald's worker, the reality was far from rewarding.

Reddit user u/MMS37 took to the platform to reveal the so-called "bonus" they received from one of the biggest fast-food chains in the world—and the response was a mix of frustration, disbelief, and secondhand embarrassment.

Keep ReadingShow less