Man behind blue-black/white-gold dress meme criminally charged with trying to kill his wife

The man behind the viral, debated black and blue dress has been charged with the attempted murder of his wife. 

Keir Johnston, 38, from the Isle of Colonsay, Scotland, went to the High Court in Glasgow on Monday and was charged with the attempted murder of his wife, Grace Johnston. 



Johnston rose to prominence in 2015 after a debate sparked online about the true colors of the dress, black and blue or white and gold, that his mother-in-law wore to his and Grace’s wedding. 

It became nicknamed the "dress that broke the internet."

Many celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, tweeted about the dress at the time. Kardashian said, "What color is that dress? I see white & gold. Kanye sees black & blue, who is color blind?"

The dress resurfaced again in February of 2023 when another user tweeted out a photo showing how sunlight affected its appearance. One side of the dress appears blue and black while in the sunlight it appears white and gold.

Allegedly, Johnston has been committing acts of domestic violence against his wife for the last 11 years. He allegedly tried to kill her last March by pinning her on the floor and attempting to suffocate her, compressing her neck repeatedly.

After pinning her to the ground and compressing her neck, it is alleged that Johnston brandished a knife, intending to kill her. 

In other alleged instances, Johnston has pushed his wife up against a wall, struck her through an open window of a vehicle, and dragged her out of a bar in a headlock when she refused to leave. 

The alleged domestic violence would have to have been going on at the same time as when the couple become viral for promoting the picture of the dress online. 

During that time, Johnston and his wife appeared on television for interviews with celebrities such as Ellen DeGeneres. During the special with DeGeneres, the couple was presented with a $10,000 check and a trip to Grenada, in the Caribbean.