A new TikTok video has once again left social media users divided, as it promises to be 2024's version of "The Dress".
TikToker Caitlin - known as one half of the duo Caitlin and Leah - has sparked a new online debate all about how people see things differently. The content creator recently shared a video with her nine million followers, showcasing her freshly painted nails.
Caitlin's journey began when she visited a nail salon and chose a color called 'Aruba' for her manicure. However, upon returning home, her wife Leah saw her nails as blue, while other family members insisted they were green, creating a nail color conundrum that echoed "The Dress" color controversy.
Nine years ago, a viral phenomenon known simply as "The Dress" swept across social media.
"The Dress" left people scratching their heads and disagreeing after Grace Johnston of Colonsay, Scotland, took to Facebook to share a photo of a garment on February 25, 2015.
She had been sent the picture of The Dress by her mother, Cecilia, and the family could not agree if it was blue and black or white and gold.
It wasn't long before The Dress went viral, as people around the world disagreed on the true colors of the garment (it is blue and black, by the way).
News outlets picked up the story, celebrities chimed in, and scientists attempted to explain the phenomenon. The dress became a symbol of the unpredictable power of the internet, where a simple image could spark global chaos. (If you weren't around to experience it, trust me, it was a pretty big deal.)
As experts delved into the science of color perception, it was revealed that the dress was indeed black and blue, thanks to some wonky lighting in the photograph. But that didn't stop the white-and-gold truthers from standing their ground.
Vision specialists Optimax eventually provided an answer regarding the science behind the disagreement, explaining: "Essentially, color is 'something we make up in our heads'. Lots of personal factors can influence the way we interpret different hues, from cataracts to lighting to context.
"As we’ve seen in this case of The Dress, colors can be entirely subjective and change depending on assumptions your brain makes without you fully understanding why.
"It can also depending 'on the viewing history of the individual observer', with what you see being based on your past memories and experiences with similar shades. This explains why there was such a divide when it came to The Dress, with everyone’s brains reacting differently to a unique combination of colors in the photo."
But back to Caitlin's nails.
Check out her video below:Expressing her confusion, she said in the video: "So I just got my nails done at the salon, and I picked a color which I think is green. But my wife thinks my nails are blue. So I thought, you know what, I'm going to ask some family members. And they are completely split. No one knows what color these nails are."
She then showcased the color of her nails before the chrome finish was applied and asked viewers, "What color do you think this is?" She added in the caption: "Is this another blue and black or white and gold dress situation?"
After amassing more than 500,000 views, the video quickly attracted thousands of divided opinions from TikTok users, with some describing the nail color as "green, like a sagey color" and others insisting it was "100% blue."
Just like the dress, Caitlin's nail color has become a topic of spirited discussion, proving once again that perception and color can be highly subjective and divisive. So what do you see? Let us know in the comments!
