The Dress: A Decade of Viral Fun

Ten years ago, the internet was captivated by a seemingly simple question: what color is this dress? An image of a dress worn by a Scottish mother at her daughter’s wedding sparked a global debate. Was it blue and black or white and gold?

The controversy, widely dubbed “The Dress,” became a cultural phenomenon, highlighting the internet’s power to unite and divide in equal measure.

A Viral Spark in the Social media Age

Cates Holderness, a writer for BuzzFeed, discovered the image on tumblr. Intrigued by the conflicting interpretations of the dress’ color, she shared it on BuzzFeed, unwittingly triggering a social media wildfire.

“I had gotten that message in the middle of my day. I thought nothing about it. but towards the end of my workday, I went back, and I looked at the picture again, and it had gone from having maybe 500 notes, which are engagements on Tumblr, to having a couple of thousand notes. That’s pretty rapid growth for a post on Tumblr,” Holderness told RNZ’s Afternoons.

Holderness’s simple BuzzFeed post unleashed a torrent of opinions, inundating Twitter and Facebook with diverse perspectives. “It was the end of the workday. I took five minutes to make a post on BuzzFeed, and then I signed off and went and hopped on the subway here in New York and by the time I got back to Brooklyn, when I got cell service I had dozens of text messages.You need to check twitter, and other people being like, you’re ruining our lives. And I went to open Twitter to see what was happening, and I couldn’t load Twitter as I was getting so many mentions per second that it would just crash my phone,” she recalled.

A Moment in Time

The Dress phenomenon captured the zeitgeist of the early social media era. People were glued to thier screens, sharing their opinions and engaging in heated discussions about the dress’ color.

This intense engagement demonstrated the transformative power of social media to connect people globally and spark conversations on seemingly trivial matters.

A Need for More Fun

Beyond the debate itself, The Dress served as a reminder of the importance of lightheartedness and fun in our increasingly complex world.

In a time of rising political tensions and global uncertainty, The Dress offered a welcome distraction, reminding us to embrace the absurdity and joy of everyday life.

What Color Did You See “The dress” as?

The Dress debate continues to fascinate and perplex people even today.

Science has attempted to explain the visual discrepancy, attributing it to variations in human perception and lighting. Though, the enduring mystery of The Dress lies in its ability to highlight the subjective nature of reality and the power of individual interpretation.

The Dress: A Decade-Long Impact

The Dress left an indelible mark on internet culture.

It spawned countless memes, parodies, and even a line of merchandise. More importantly, it demonstrated the power of social media to ignite global conversations and shape cultural discourse.

The Dress: A Decade of Viral Fun

Ten years ago, a seemingly innocuous image captured the internet’s attention, igniting a global debate that continues to fascinate today.A photograph of a dress worn by a Scottish woman at her daughter’s wedding sparked a heated discussion: was the dress blue and black, or white and gold? The controversy, dubbed “The Dress,” became a cultural phenomenon, showcasing the internet’s capacity to unite and divide.

A Viral Spark in the Social Media Age

Cates Holderness, a writer for BuzzFeed, stumbled upon the perplexing image on Tumblr. Intrigued by the conflicting interpretations of the dress’s coloration, she shared it on BuzzFeed, unknowingly setting off a social media wildfire. Holderness recalls receiving a notification about the dress’s popularity, initially dismissing it. Though, towards the end of her workday, she revisited the image and was astounded by its virality. “I had gotten that message in the middle of my workday. I thought nothing about it. But towards the end of my workday, I went back, and I looked at the picture again, and it had gone from having, maybe, 200 notes, to, I don’t know, 10,000 notes, ” Holderness remarked.

A Need for More Fun

Looking back, The Dress stands out as a moment of lightheartedness in an increasingly polarized online landscape. “The internet, in so many ways, can be such a negative and depressing place, where we get our news, and it’s just terrible. To have something as innocuous and silly and low-stakes as the dress being one of the most viral pieces of internet history,I think it’s wonderful actually,I think it’s we need more fun like that on the internet,” Holderness said.

An Interview with Cates Holderness

The Dress phenomenon highlights a crucial aspect of internet culture: its ability to transcend boundaries and create shared experiences. Holderness notes that a decade ago,social media platforms were less fragmented,fostering a more unified online experience. “Everyone had a smartphone, not everyone, but most people had a smartphone.They could pull up Twitter, it was kind of peak Twitter, peak social media, in a way that where, contrary to how things are today, 10 years ago, we were all on the same platforms, everyone was on Facebook, everyone was on Instagram, and everyone was on Twitter, and so there was, I think, a larger captive audience and a unified social media experience. we’re kind of fractured now,” Holderness noted.

Despite its simplicity, The Dress serves as a powerful reminder of the internet’s capacity to ignite conversations, spark debates, and connect people across the globe. Even seemingly trivial matters can tap into profound psychological phenomena, highlighting the complex interplay between perception, perception, and cultural influences.

The Dress: A Decade-Old Internet Phenomenon

In 2015,a simple photograph of a dress ignited a global debate that captivated the internet and left people questioning their own perceptions. The seemingly innocuous image sparked a frenzy of discussion, as individuals vehemently argued over the dress’ true colors. While some saw blue and black, others insisted it was white and gold.

A Viral Sensation

The image, originally posted on Tumblr, quickly spread across social media platforms like wildfire. “Maybe 500 notes, which are engagements on tumblr, to having a couple of thousand notes. That’s pretty rapid growth for a post on Tumblr,” BuzzFeed editor, Caitlin Holderness, told RNZ’s Afternoons.

Within minutes, the image became a trending topic, dominating conversations and news cycles. Holderness, the curator of the viral post, was caught off guard by the sheer magnitude of the phenomenon. “It was the end of the workday.I took five minutes to make a post on BuzzFeed, and then I signed off and went and hopped on the subway here in New York and by the time I got back to Brooklyn, when I got cell service, I had dozens of text messages. You need to check Twitter, and other people being like, you’re ruining our lives.And I went to open Twitter to see what was happening, and I couldn’t load Twitter because I was getting so many mentions per second that it would just crash my phone,” she recalled.

A Moment in Time

The Dress phenomenon was a unique convergence of social media, viral trends, and human psychology. It serves as a reminder of the internet’s capacity to amplify both trivial and profound discussions.Holderness noted, “Everyone had a smartphone, not everyone, but most people had a smartphone. They could pull up Twitter,it was kind of peak Twitter,peak social media,in a way that where,contrary to how things are today,10 years ago,we were all on the same platforms,everyone was on Facebook,everyone was on Instagram,and everyone was on Twitter and so there was,I think,a larger captive audience and a unified social media experience. We’re kind of fractured now.”

The Dress incident captured a particular era of the internet,where social platforms were less fragmented and the concept of going viral still held a sense of novelty.

A Need for More Fun

Looking back, The Dress stands out as a moment of lightheartedness in an increasingly polarized online landscape. Holderness said, “The internet, in so many ways, can be such a negative and depressing place, where we get our news, and it’s just terrible. To have something as innocuous and silly and low-stakes as the dress being one of the most viral pieces of internet history, I think it’s marvelous actually, I think it’s we need more fun like that on the internet.”

The Dress exemplifies the internet’s ability to transcend boundaries and create shared experiences, a reminder that even seemingly trivial matters can spark meaningful conversations and connect people across the globe.

The Dress might be a decade old, but its enduring legacy reminds us of the internet’s playful side, urging us to embrace a little more lightheartedness and wonder in the digital age.

What Color Did you See?

What do you think? Do you remember “The Dress” and what color did you see it as? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Did the dress appear blue and black, or white and gold?

the Dress: A Decade of Viral Fun

Ten years ago, a seemingly innocuous image captured the internet’s attention, igniting a global debate that continues to fascinate today.A photograph of a dress worn by a Scottish woman at her daughter’s wedding sparked a heated discussion: was the dress blue and black, or white and gold? The controversy, dubbed “The Dress,” became a cultural phenomenon, showcasing the internet’s capacity to unite and divide.

A Viral Spark in the Social Media Age

Cates Holderness, a writer for BuzzFeed, stumbled upon the perplexing image on Tumblr. Intrigued by the conflicting interpretations of the dress’s coloration, she shared it on BuzzFeed, unknowingly setting off a social media wildfire. Holderness recalls receiving a notification about the dress’s popularity,initially dismissing it. Though, towards the end of her workday, she revisited the image and was astounded by its virality.”I had gotten that message in the middle of my workday.I thought nothing about it. But towards the end of my workday, I whent back, and I looked at the picture again, and it had gone from having, maybe, 200 notes, to, I don’t know, 10,000 notes, ” Holderness remarked.

A Need for More Fun

Looking back, The Dress stands out as a moment of lightheartedness in an increasingly polarized online landscape.”The internet, in so many ways, can be such a negative and depressing place, where we get our news, and it’s just terrible. To have something as innocuous and silly and low-stakes as the dress being one of the most viral pieces of internet history,I think it’s wonderful actually,I think it’s we need more fun like that on the internet,” Holderness said.

An Interview with Cates Holderness

The Dress phenomenon highlights a crucial aspect of internet culture: its ability to transcend boundaries and create shared experiences. Holderness notes that a decade ago,social media platforms where less fragmented,fostering a more unified online experience.“Everyone had a smartphone, not everyone, but most people had a smartphone.They could pull up Twitter, it was kind of peak Twitter, peak social media, in a way that where, contrary to how things are today, 10 years ago, we were all on the same platforms, everyone was on Facebook, everyone was on Instagram, and everyone was on Twitter, and so there was, I think, a larger captive audience and a unified social media experience. we’re kind of fractured now,” Holderness noted.

Despite its simplicity, The Dress serves as a powerful reminder of the internet’s capacity to ignite conversations, spark debates, and connect people across the globe. Even seemingly trivial matters can tap into profound psychological phenomena,highlighting the complex interplay between perception,perception,and cultural influences.

The Dress: A Decade-Old Internet Phenomenon

In 2015,a simple photograph of a dress ignited a global debate that captivated the internet and left people questioning their own perceptions. The seemingly innocuous image sparked a frenzy of discussion, as individuals vehemently argued over the dress’ true colors. While some saw blue and black, others insisted it was white and gold.

A Viral Sensation

The image, originally posted on Tumblr, quickly spread across social media platforms like wildfire. “Maybe 500 notes, which are engagements on tumblr, to having a couple of thousand notes. That’s pretty rapid growth for a post on Tumblr,” BuzzFeed editor, Caitlin Holderness, told RNZ’s Afternoons.

Within minutes, the image became a trending topic, dominating conversations and news cycles. Holderness, the curator of the viral post, was caught off guard by the sheer magnitude of the phenomenon. “It was the end of the workday.I took five minutes to make a post on BuzzFeed,and then I signed off and went and hopped on the subway here in New York and by the time I got back to Brooklyn,when I got cell service,I had dozens of text messages. You need to check Twitter, and other people being like, you’re ruining our lives.And I went to open Twitter to see what was happening, and I couldn’t load Twitter as I was getting so many mentions per second that it would just crash my phone,” she recalled.

A Moment in Time

the Dress phenomenon was a unique convergence of social media, viral trends, and human psychology. It serves as a reminder of the internet’s capacity to amplify both trivial and profound discussions.Holderness noted, “Everyone had a smartphone, not everyone, but most people had a smartphone. They could pull up Twitter,it was kind of peak Twitter,peak social media,in a way that where,contrary to how things are today,10 years ago,we were all on the same platforms,everyone was on Facebook,everyone was on instagram,and everyone was on Twitter and so there was,I think,a larger captive audience and a unified social media experience. We’re kind of fractured now.”

The Dress incident captured a particular era of the internet,where social platforms were less fragmented and the concept of going viral still held a sense of novelty.

A Need for More Fun

Looking back, the Dress stands out as a moment of lightheartedness in an increasingly polarized online landscape. Holderness said, “the internet, in so many ways, can be such a negative and depressing place, where we get our news, and it’s just terrible.To have something as innocuous and silly and low-stakes as the dress being one of the most viral pieces of internet history, I think it’s marvelous actually, I think it’s we need more fun like that on the internet.”

The Dress exemplifies the internet’s ability to transcend boundaries and create shared experiences,a reminder that even seemingly trivial matters can spark meaningful conversations and connect people across the globe.

The Dress might be a decade old, but its enduring legacy reminds us of the internet’s playful side, urging us to embrace a little more lightheartedness and wonder in the digital age.

What Color Did you See?

What do you think? Do you remember “The Dress” and what color did you see it as? Share your thoughts in the comments below!