What to Wear in Black Light: Looking cool at the roller rink!

If you are heading out the roller rink for a night time public skate, you want to dress accordingly! You may be wondering how to craft your look so that it looks as cool as possible when the blacklight comes on.

As a general rule, any clothing or materials that are white, florescent, or neon will glow in the blacklight. Items that are made for "glow in the dark" will glow brightly under blacklight. If you don't want to glow or stand out, choose black or darker colors for the majority of your outfit.

What looks cool under blacklight?

Public skate at the roller rink will almost always have black-lights, but it isn't a "black light party". You probably don't want your entire outfit to glow while you are skating. It may be best to choose an outfit that mostly won't glow, darker colors, and then add a pop of glow with a white or glow in the dark necklace, bracelet, or roller skate boot covers. Adding florescent laces to your boots is another way to show your style!

What colors really shine under black light? White, florescent shades of pink, green, blue, yellow, or orange, anything neon, and all materials that are designed to "glow in the dark".

A cool rink outfit could be: jeans or jeans shorts paired with a dark colored tee or tank and a glow in the dark bracelet. You will get some black light action on your jeans, because the white threads will glow but the dark threads won't, which can be really low key cool. Your top will likely not glow, but your bracelet will be super glowy and move around as you skate. Add a white headband or hair clip if you are feeling bold!

A fun idea for black light skating is tie dye- the different colors will all glow different, giving you a really unique look.

Lots of people choose to use light up wheels at the rink. This is a run way to add a lot of flair to your outfit, and to keep the attention on your skates. Ask if they have some for sale at the rink, or order a pair of Luminous wheels. Skate covers are another way to add a pop of color and glow that isn't on your body. There are lots of makers on Etsy offering cool neon covers. If you are using rental skates, boot covers are an easy way to make the skates look like they are your own, and coordinate them to your sweet outfit!

What not to wear under blacklight

Blacklight can have some unintended affects on clothing. Here are some ways to avoid looking silly at the rink:

1. Detergent that is left in clothing can glow. If you tend to dump the detergent on top of your clothes in the washer, you may end up with spots of detergent still in your clothes. You can't see these under normal circumstances, but under the black light, they will show. To be safe, put the detergent in the machine first and let a bit of water fill before adding your clothes. To be extra sure, wash your rink outfit by itself in a load with no soap at all, allowing any extra detergent to wash out.
2. Lint will glow. If you are wearing a black or dark colored shirt or sweater that has lint or fuzz, you will spend the whole night picking it off! Make sure that you lint roll before hitting the rink.
3. Pet hair does not glow under black light, but pet urine ( and human urine!) sure does! Something to keep in mind if you are a dog or cat, or human mom. Quick note- blood, semen, and vaginal fluids also glow, so, you know....
4. Your white bra will glow. You might think that you are making a safe choice with your flowy black top, but if you have a white bra on underneath, you could be putting on a show! White glows brighter than any other color, so if your shirt is even a bit see through, you will be able to see what's underneath. This goes for bottoms as well! Dig out your darkest skivvies for the night.
5. Stickers leave residue on clothes that glows in black light. Grab a brand new outfit for skate night? Be sure to wash it first. This can include price stickers, as well as sizing stickers on the legs of pants.

How will my teeth look under the blacklight?

A common concern for black light newbies is: will my teeth glow? The short answer is- probably. We have natural phosphors in our teeth and nails that will glow under black light. Tooth whiteners and some tooth whitening toothpaste contain compounds that will make your teeth glow more brightly. Porcelain veneers generally match the florecens of natural teeth, but crowns may not.

Before you freak out and cancel your plans, consider this. The roller rink is not a black light party, where it is completely dark except for black lights. There are lots of other lights on, and it is a big space. The concentration of black light, and therefore florescence, is much lower than what you are imagining. The brightest glow will be for the 15 seconds it takes you to go around the far end of the floor, the one that is farthest from the house lights in the lobby and snack area.

Another thing to think about is that people are working really hard to not run into others, and to just keep upright their skates. They do not have the time to give your teeth a close inspection! The nature of roller skating means that you are only looking at the backs of people as you skate around, so you are safe on the floor. Your teeth will absolutely not glow when you are off the rink floor, which is the time when you are most likely to be face to face talking and socializing. The concentration of black light in the lobby and eating areas will not be enough to make your teeth glow.

If you want to put your best teeth forward, try this: give your teeth a good brush with just water before heading out. Because it's the cleaners that have the most glow affect, try to get your teeth free of those to avoid super glow.