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🌈WHAT COLOR IS THE SHOE? WHAT DO YOUR EYES SEE?

Pruett — Tue, 07 May 2019 06:35:27 GMT

omaha.com/content/tncms/live/

"Is this shoe pink or gray? Eye expert explains viral photo.

Remember the dress?

A photo of the black and blue frock — or was it white and gold? — split opinions on the Internet two years ago.

Well, put the color-changing dress back in the cyber closet.

A shoe is stirring up sensation online this time.

Some see the footwear as pink with white laces and trim. Others see a gray shoe with teal accents.

Why do we see the distinct colors so differently?

To see color, our brains take into account the color of the light around the object in question, said Wally Thoreson, professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

People who see a pink shoe see a blue light in the background. People who see a gray shoe are being told by their brains that the light is white. In the case of this image, our brain is also taking cues from the color of the hand holding the shoe. And some people may have subconsciously factored in that shoelaces are typically white, Thoreson added.

The difference in perception is not uncommon, he said. For example, his wife wears a coat that Thoreson says is orange, but she says is red. The case of the shoe is a more extreme example, he said.

“We see it as one or the other, not in between,” Thoreson said. “The brain has to sort of choose. I think people are surprised that what they see is not necessarily what their neighbor sees.”

More than 450,000 people have weighed in on the color on BuzzFeed. About 87 percent were in favor of the gray version as of midday on Friday.

But the minority is likely correct. It’s unclear where the photo first surfaced, but the trending Vans footwear appears to be sold online in Europe — and it’s pink.

A Vans customer service representative familiar with the viral shoe told The World-Herald that the company doesn’t stock a gray and teal shoe, but you could customize a shoe in those colors.

If you’re in the gray and teal camp, that’s OK. (Thoreson is right there with you.) There’s nothing wrong with your eyes.

“It doesn’t mean that somebody’s vision or color perception is better,” Thoreson said.

What color is the shoe?"

Re: 🌈WHAT COLOR IS THE SHOE? WHAT DO YOUR EYES SEE?

WindingRoad — Tue, 07 May 2019 06:53:54 GMT

I see a gray shoe with aqua trim.

Re: 🌈WHAT COLOR IS THE SHOE? WHAT DO YOUR EYES SEE?

Catty2 — Tue, 07 May 2019 07:07:19 GMT

Gray

Re: 🌈WHAT COLOR IS THE SHOE? WHAT DO YOUR EYES SEE?

SouthernBee — Tue, 07 May 2019 07:12:09 GMT

gray with aqua trim: Southern Bee

Re: 🌈WHAT COLOR IS THE SHOE? WHAT DO YOUR EYES SEE?

AKgirl2 — Fri, 10 May 2019 05:09:46 GMT

@Pruett ~ I see the color gray, with aqua laces and trim.

ETA ~ the shoe is a very muted gray with pink.

Re: 🌈WHAT COLOR IS THE SHOE? WHAT DO YOUR EYES SEE?

BirkiLady — Tue, 07 May 2019 07:29:16 GMT

Well . . . I'm in Nebraska and agree with Thorson from UNMC. I see grey with teal.

Re: 🌈WHAT COLOR IS THE SHOE? WHAT DO YOUR EYES SEE?

Azcowgirl — Tue, 07 May 2019 07:37:11 GMT

That’s so strange....I see a pink shoe 😳

Re: 🌈WHAT COLOR IS THE SHOE? WHAT DO YOUR EYES SEE?

PamfromCT — Tue, 07 May 2019 08:06:50 GMT

Grey with teal.

Re: 🌈WHAT COLOR IS THE SHOE? WHAT DO YOUR EYES SEE?

Pruett — Tue, 07 May 2019 08:27:20 GMT

@Azcowgirl wrote:
That’s so strange....I see a pink shoe 😳

@Azcowgirl

I see the pink shoe too!!! 😃💗

Thanks everybody for posting! I think it's interesting how we see the same pic in different ways.

Re: 🌈WHAT COLOR IS THE SHOE? WHAT DO YOUR EYES SEE?

BeccaLou — Tue, 07 May 2019 10:31:40 GMT

I see a swirl of both.Like a candy mint.

Re: 🌈WHAT COLOR IS THE SHOE? WHAT DO YOUR EYES SEE?

OKPrincess — Tue, 07 May 2019 10:38:24 GMT

I see gray shoe with aqua shoestrings and trim.

Re: 🌈WHAT COLOR IS THE SHOE? WHAT DO YOUR EYES SEE?

fancy pantsy — Tue, 07 May 2019 11:16:37 GMT

gray shoe with aqua trim and laces.

Re: 🌈WHAT COLOR IS THE SHOE? WHAT DO YOUR EYES SEE?

Jamma — Tue, 07 May 2019 12:04:19 GMT

@Azcowgirl wrote:
That’s so strange....I see a pink shoe 😳

Oh thank you I do too.

Re: 🌈WHAT COLOR IS THE SHOE? WHAT DO YOUR EYES SEE?

LIndaMJ — Tue, 07 May 2019 12:52:02 GMT

I see a gray shoe with aqua laces & trim.

Re: 🌈WHAT COLOR IS THE SHOE? WHAT DO YOUR EYES SEE?

dex — Tue, 07 May 2019 12:56:16 GMT

I see grey with teal...no matter how I try can’t see pink.

Re: 🌈WHAT COLOR IS THE SHOE? WHAT DO YOUR EYES SEE?

mimomof4 — Tue, 07 May 2019 12:58:48 GMT

I see gray but that picture is taken with horrible lighting so I can understand why people see different colors.

Re: 🌈WHAT COLOR IS THE SHOE? WHAT DO YOUR EYES SEE?

kaydee50 — Tue, 07 May 2019 13:04:59 GMT

Gray with mint green.

Re: 🌈WHAT COLOR IS THE SHOE? WHAT DO YOUR EYES SEE?

haddon9 — Tue, 07 May 2019 13:18:09 GMT

Gray shoe with aqua trim

I remember the dress from a few years ago! I couldn't get over how I saw an off white and gold dress yet others in my family saw blue/black! I think it's amazing how we see it differently!

I'm wondering if I stare at the shoes long engough will I start to see pink? I do see a tiny bit of pink on part of the shoe.

Re: 🌈WHAT COLOR IS THE SHOE? WHAT DO YOUR EYES SEE?

WaJa61 — Tue, 07 May 2019 13:20:37 GMT

I see a light pink shoe with white trim and laces, but the tongue behind the laces appears gray.

Re: 🌈WHAT COLOR IS THE SHOE? WHAT DO YOUR EYES SEE?

hayseed00 — Tue, 07 May 2019 13:26:09 GMT

@Pruett I see pink with aqua trim.