This Is the Most Dangerous Bathing Suit Color to Wear While Swimming—And It’s Probably Not the One You’re Thinking
Let’s have a moment of real talk, shall we? When you’re shopping for swimsuits, there are probably a few things on your mind. There’s the fit, of course. (Hey, we’ve all got to serve.) Then there’s functionality, so it stays on when you’re swimming, running after your kids or getting pummeled by waves. And finally, there’s style and color—which is largely about this year’s trends and your favorite hues, respectively.
Well, there’s another thing that’s probably not on your mind but absolutely should be. The “right” bathing-suit color should go beyond faves and flattering choices. In fact, choosing wisely can increase your safety in the water, something that’s doubly true if you have children, while choosing poorly can do the opposite.
How, exactly? And is this more of a factor in pools, lakes or the vast ocean with its rip currents and (gulp!) sharks? To find out, we examined the latest data and talked to Tom Griffiths, a decades-long aquatic safety expert and consultant, and Lisa Zarda, executive director of the U.S. Swim School Association (USSSA). You’ll definitely want to read this before you head back into the water.
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What is the main danger when it comes to water activities?
Drowning. It’s the No. 1 cause of death for children ages 1 to 4, according to the CDC, and it remains a leading cause of death for children as they age into adulthood. Zarda notes that 40% of drownings among children 5 to 14 occur in natural water (versus all sources, which includes swimming pools, hot tubs and bathtubs). And, of course, drowning is not limited to children. The CDC also reports that there are more than 4,500 unintentional fatal adult drownings each year in the U.S., plus an additional 8,000 nonfatal incidents that bring people to the emergency room.
Proper swim safety mostly entails taking swimming lessons, wearing a Coast Guard–approved life vest when appropriate, staying within lifeguard zones, swimming in groups and paying attention to important signs. The experts I spoke with emphasize those protocols most of all. But beyond that, the color of your swimsuit can make a difference. This is more than just an interesting fact: This simple choice can increase your visibility in the water, which can make a critical difference when you’re in trouble and time is of the essence. And while an increase in visibility shouldn’t be confused with a decrease in drowning, it can be a powerful tool in managing potential risks by using all of the options at your disposal.
What are the most dangerous bathing suit colors?
Light colors, like greens, blues and white, as well as “water” colors, like darker blues and blacks. That’s because these colors either reflect the surrounding colors or have low surface visibility and don’t create enough of a contrast with water. In other words, they blend into water environments more than others, which can decrease their visibility—and, as a result, yours.
In 2019, water-safety consulting company Alive Solutions produced an often-cited report suggesting these palettes are the most difficult to discern from your surroundings, regardless of the underlying pool, lake, ocean or river color, and regardless of whether they’re on the surface of the water or beneath it. That means a lifeguard, family member or bystander may not notice anything is amiss until it’s too late.
What are the safest bathing suit colors?
To increase your visibility in the water, go bright! Neon colors, especially orange and yellow, can be the easiest to spot in different aquatic settings. And increasing visibility can “make a difference [when] seconds count,” according to Zarda.
In Alive Solutions’ report, the group looked at three different conditions: light-bottomed swimming pools, dark-bottomed swimming pools and open water. It concluded that neon oranges and yellows were the most visible colors in all the different settings.
However, add in some rough water or ripples and almost any color can become very difficult to see under the surface of the water. Alive Solutions looked at both the surface visibility of the different colors and the visibility at 18 inches below the water. Even in calm water, it’s extremely difficult to see colors at the 18-inch depth, says Griffiths, who compares wavelets in water to an “obscuring bathroom glass door or an obscuring bathroom window.” The same is true of a white-bottomed pool, he adds, noting it’s very difficult to see bright colors under the water when there is any turbulence. So, again, this shouldn’t be your only line of defense when it comes to drowning—for you or your kids.
Still, says Zarda, “it is a good idea to wear a bright neon colored swimsuit. It can be easier to see kids underwater if they are wearing bright neon colors that don’t blend in with the pool bottom or light colors that could get lost in water reflections.”
And don’t forget a life jacket for kids. Griffiths remains firm on that point. “We absolutely urge the use of Coast Guard–approved life jackets,” he says. “Life jackets don’t fail, but parents and lifeguards fail because they see what they want to see, they see what they expect to see, and we don’t get any practice at detecting drowning victims.”
Hold on—isn’t “yum-yum yellow” really attractive to sharks?
Let’s do some myth-busting! Although there’s a widely held belief that bright colors attract sharks because of their high visibility in the ocean to human eyes, wearing a yellow suit does not actually increase your risk of a shark attack.
According to the BBC, the idea that “yum-yum yellow” is a shark favorite probably got its start sometime in World War II, when the U.S. Navy dealt with its fair share of shark attacks. These men came to believe that the oranges and yellows associated with life preservers increased their comrades’ chances of being targeted by sharks. This anecdotal evidence led to some pretty deep scientific inquiry into the makeup of sharks’ eyes over the next few decades, and the truth is that there isn’t really a “yum-yum yellow” phenomenon. Instead, it’s more likely that the yellow worn by some of the men created more visual contrast for sharks. And contrast, it turns out, is the critical factor to avoid when it comes to these toothy sea dwellers.
And yes, that means there are certain kinds of suits you should avoid for ocean swimming. They just might not all be yellow.
What is the most dangerous bathing suit color when it comes to shark bites?
To decrease attention from sharks, skip the high-contrast, highly patterned suits. Stripes may be cute, but avoid patterns that alternate light and dark striping. The same goes for the sweet white patterns—like gingham—on darker backgrounds. Cool for the pool, but maybe a little too attractive to a shark.
The thing is, many species of sharks are colorblind. But being colorblind doesn’t mean they can’t see color contrast. In fact, they can be extremely good at that! Beyond choosing a low-contrast suit, experts also recommend leaving your jewelry and watches on the sand. In the ocean, these shiny objects can reflect light the same way fish scales do, creating more of a danger when it comes to sharks.
We should also note that your risk of being attacked by a shark is extremely low. Still, this is another piece of information that can make it just a little safer to go back in the water.
Sources:
- Tom Griffiths, PhD, water-safety consultant for the Aquatic Safety Research Group and professor emeritus; phone interview, July 14, 2026
- Lisa Zarda, executive director of the United States Swim School Association; email interview, July 15, 2026
- Lehigh Valley Health Network: “Shopping for Children’s Swimsuits? Keep Color in Mind”
- BBC: “‘Yum-yum yellow’: Could your swimwear attract sharks?”
- Alive Solutions: “All Things Aquatic + Water Safety”
- Florida Museum: “Yearly Worldwide Shark Attack Summary”
- Florida Museum: “Advice to Swimmers”
- Florida Museum: “Color of Apparel”
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