Yard sales are often packed with unexpected treasures, but one woman found something truly nostalgic during a recent sale: the internet's most debated piece of clothing: THE dress.
Amanda Rubinstein of Burlington, Vermont, was browsing items when she stumbled on the dress that sparked intense online debate in 2015. Known for its viral optical illusion that divided the world over whether it was blue and black or white and gold, the dress became an internet legend.
"The dress was one of the first items I saw when I walked up to the yard sale. I immediately screamed, 'Oh my goodness, you have THE DRESS!' I was in utter shock," Rubinstein told Newsweek. "The owners and other neighbors had a nice laugh at my expressive reaction upon seeing it."
Rubinstein's discovery comes nearly a decade after the dress made waves online. The controversy surrounding it began when a photograph taken by Cecilia Bleasdale for her daughter Grace's wedding went viral. The dress was confirmed to be blue with black lace, yet millions saw it as white and gold. The image became a global sensation, with social media platforms lighting up with debates and even prompting scientific research into human color perception.
When she stumbled on the dress, Rubinstein knew she couldn't leave it there and purchased it.
"I wasn't sure if it would fit, but I knew an opportunity to own one of the most iconic dresses of the internet age doesn't come around often," she said.
She quickly learned from the seller that the dress had been in her closet since 2015.
"She knew it was a gem," Rubinstein said, "but it had been sitting there for nine years, so she felt it deserved better."
Though Rubinstein isn't sure if the dress she bought is the exact one from the viral 2015 photo, she researched and discovered it is indeed from the same collection, making it a likely match.
"I can confirm it's from the same designer and collection, which leads me to believe it is genuine," she said.
Rubinstein shared her find on TikTok in a video viewed 3.8 million times. In the comments, people were stunned by the discovery, which, of course, quickly reignited conversation about what color the dress was.
"That's the absolute most legendary yard sale find ever," said viewer Atlas. Another commenter joked, "You should upload this exact video but everything is hue shifted so the dress looks white and gold."
And, of course, the burning question: What color does Rubinstein see?
"The dress is 100 percent blue bandage with black mesh and lace accents," she said.
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