How to stop #TheDress from ruining your friendships

Whether you are team #WhiteAndGold or #BlueAndBlack, there is no need to let #TheDress come between you and your loved ones.

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Screenshot via Tumblr.com
People have been heatedly arguing the color of #TheDress. Some see blue and black, others see white and gold.

Never before has a dress caused so much turmoil on the internet. The reason?

No one can agree on whether it is white and gold or blue and black.

A picture of the dress went viral on Thursday when it became apparent viewers were divided on the color of the dress. Twitter users took to both sides, arguing fiercely and with certainty of the dress’s colors.

According to a Buzzfeed poll of more than 857,000 people, 74 percent of people think the dress is white and gold, while 26 percent say it is blue and black. Ultimately, it comes down to the facts.

The dress is blue and black.

After seeing the blue and black dress firsthand at a friend’s wedding, 21-year-old Caitlin McNeill saw a photograph of the same dress and was surprised that her friends could not agree on the color.

"What happened was two of my close friends were actually getting married and the mother of the bride took a photo of the dress to send to her daughter," Ms. McNeill said to Business Insider. "When my friend showed the dress to her fiancé, they disagreed on the color."

The bride posted the picture on Facebook, where the debate continued among friends. McNeill then posted the picture to Tumblr, where it went viral.

Regardless of what colors you rooted for, it is not uncommon for colors to be perceived differently by different people. The over-exposure of the dress in the photo gave the illusion that the colors were indeed lighter. It's a kind of optical illusion . . . nothing to ruin your friendships over.

Eventually, Twitter users began to reunite and stand on common ground after the confusion. Some offered helpful alternatives, while others suggested it may be in the internet’s best interest to move on from #TheDress.

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