What I Didn’t Know About Kids’ Swimwear

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Lauren has a beach trip coming up.

Quinn is 4. Her son is 12. And like any Mom — and okay, like any Mimi — I started thinking about what they’d be packing.

My thought was to help out and get some super cute swimwear and outfits!

I’m so glad I didn’t.

Because when Lauren looked at me — you know that look, the one where someone’s about to tell you something that you probably should have already known — and said:

“Mom. Do you know what color swimsuit is hardest to see in water?“

And guess what? Honestly, I had no clue.

I raised two Daughters. I took them to every pool, every beach, every splash pad from here to there. I slathered on sunscreen and called it a day. I bought them whatever was on the rack that looked adorable.

Not once did I think about color as a safety issue.

That’s the thing about being the Empty Nester talking to the Mom who’s still in it. Lauren is living in 2026 parenting. I was living in 1998 parenting. Those are not the same thing.

She taught me. And now it absolutely makes sense, so her I am I’m telling you.

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The part that made me feel sick

Here’s what I didn’t know.

Dark colors — navy blue, dark green, gray — are almost completely invisible underwater. Especially in a pool with a dark bottom. The farther down they go, the more they disappear.

White is somehow worse. In a lake or the ocean, a white swimsuit looks like a reflection of clouds on the water.

I have bought every single one of those colors for my girls. Every. Single. One.

The cute navy one-piece. The sweet gray rash guard. The little white swimsuit that photographed so well.

All of them. Gone underwater. Invisible.

There’s a man named Bernard Fisher — he runs health and safety for the American Lifeguard Association — and he said something I want every Mom to hear.

He said the color of your kid’s swimsuit can significantly impact their visibility in the water. That bright contrasting colors make it easier for lifeguards and parents to spot a child quickly.

Especially in an emergency.

Drowning is the leading cause of death for children aged 1 to 4 in the United States.

Quinn is 4.

Lauren didn’t have to say another word.

So what colors actually keep them safe

Neon. That’s the answer.

Neon orange. Neon yellow. Neon green. Hot pink.

The science behind it is actually kind of incredible. Neon colors absorb UV light and re-emit it back toward the viewer. They essentially glow underwater. That’s not a marketing claim — that’s physics.

Neon yellow and neon green stay visible even in murky lake water. Neon orange performs the strongest across both pools and open water. Hot pink works great in pools especially.

The colors to avoid — I’m going to be real with you because I wish someone had been real with me years ago:

Stay away from these:

• Navy blue — blends completely with pool water and the ocean
• Light blue — disappears against the sky when they’re submerged
• Gray — nearly invisible in almost every water environment
• White — looks like a reflection in natural water
• Dark green — gone the second they’re in a lake or pond

I know. The cute ones are almost always the problem ones.

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And then Lauren told me about UPF

Because apparently one thing wasn’t enough to learn in one conversation.

When my girls were little — sunscreen. That was it. Slather it on, watch it wash off twenty minutes into the pool, and call that protection.

Now there’s an entire category of swimwear called UPF and I genuinely had no idea.

UPF 50+ fabric blocks 98% of UV rays. Not some of them. Ninety-eight percent. And unlike sunscreen — it doesn’t wash off in the water.

A rash guard with UPF 50+ is protecting your kid every single second they’re wearing it. You don’t have to reapply. You don’t have to remember it after the second trip down the water slide.

It’s just working.

So what Lauren is putting Quinn in checks two boxes at once — neon for visibility and UPF 50+ for sun protection. Both things. One swimsuit.

I genuinely wish I had known this when my girls were little.

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Lauren’s top pick — and why I trust her on this

Lauren researches things the way she photographs them — carefully and completely. She doesn’t miss details. And she’s a Mom who pays attention in a way that makes me proud every single time.

She landed on Hanna Andersson for this trip and once she explained why I understood immediately.

Their swimwear blocks 97% of harmful UV rays. It’s chlorine-resistant AND saltwater-resistant — meaning it actually holds up through a real beach trip not just one pretty photo. And the quality is the kind that gets passed down. They literally have a resale program called Hanna-Me-Downs. That tells you everything you need to know about how long their stuff lasts.

Right now they’re running up to 50% off for Memorial Day.

Lauren is getting Quinn the Rashguard Top and Shorts Set in the brightest color they carry. For her 12-year-old — the Short Sleeve Rashguard Top is on sale for $20. Twenty dollars. For real protection. Done.

And if you know Hanna Andersson at all you probably know them for their famous matching family pajamas. We may have gone down that rabbit hole too. Just saying.

Shop Hanna Andersson swim below

Choose the brightest colors they have. Now you know why now.

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In Lauren’s own words

I asked Lauren to write this part herself. It’s her trip, her babies, and her lesson to share:

“I didn’t know about swimsuit color and water safety until a couple of years ago. I came across something about drowning prevention and visibility and I genuinely couldn’t sleep that night.

I kept thinking about every single time I put my kids in a navy swimsuit without a second thought.

You do the best you can with what you know. And then you learn something new and you do better. That’s the whole thing.

Quinn is going to look like a neon popsicle at the beach and I am completely fine with that. I can spot her from across a crowded pool in two seconds. That’s the only goal.

Mom — I’m really glad you didn’t just say get something cute.”

Me too, Lauren. Me too.

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Before your next water trip — do these five things

1. Pull out their swimwear right now. What color is it?
2. If it’s navy, blue, gray, white, or dark green — replace it before you go
3. Look for neon AND UPF 50+ — both things, not just one
4. Add a wide-brim hat that covers ears and the back of their neck
5. Bright colors help. They do not replace watching your kids. Both things matter — always.

I’m 51. I raised two daughters all the way to the other side.

And I’m still learning things that matter — from my daughter.

That is not embarrassing. That is honestly the best part of where I am right now.

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Other brands Lauren has looked at:

• SwimZip — UPF 50+, neon colors, zipper front for easy on/off with a squirmy toddler.
• HiViz Swim — built specifically for visibility, true neon colors, eco-friendly fabric
• UV Skinz — the founder lost her husband to melanoma and started the company to protect other families. The story behind this brand matters.

Lauren is going to photograph everything Quinn wears on this trip. She’ll put it all on our LTK and our socials after. That’s just who she is — and it’s one of my favorite things about her.

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If this helped you — save it. Share it with a Mom heading to the water this summer. Tag us @theemptynestmoms.

And if you want more of this — the real stuff, the things nobody told us, the conversations between a mom who’s out the other side and a daughter still in it — subscribe below. We’re in your inbox every Tuesday.

— Mandy + Lauren The Empty Nest Mom theemptynestmom.com