Although most of us can't even wrap our heads around creating one DIY costumes for our kids to wear on Halloween, for the last few years, Lauren Mancke has wowed us with the pop culture costumes she creates for her son Fox and twin daughters twin girls Lera Wren and Marigold Elle to wear every day in October.
"Most of these are characters from our favorite movies, books, and television shows - and we've made sure to include some classic female duos," Lauren told POPSUGAR, adding, when asked about her DIY process, "I usually make the day's costume the night before and some in the morning (I work well under pressure!). The supplies are usually clothes we already own or have borrowed from friends, craft supplies, and pieces of old costumes that have been repurposed. Then we take the pictures when they wake up from their first nap, when they are happy and in a good mood."
As in years prior, Lauren is partnering with Primary to make her kids' costumes, because they trio, especially the twins, love their daily costumes. In 2019, Lauren said of then 2-year-old Lera and Marigold: "Their personalities have a lot to do with who dresses up as which character. The girls are LOVING it though. Hats and shoes and new clothes are met with squeals and dancing. I think this is the perfect age for dressing up."
Lauren, who's loved making her own Halloween costumes since she was a little kid, says that the main reason she started creating daily costumes is because they make her family and others happy, and because the twins' arrival in 2017 was "a shining light in what has been a difficult year for our family."
"After taking eight weeks of maternity leave (my employer suggested four weeks), I was laid off from my position as vice president of a website development company shortly after I returned to work," Lauren said in October 2017. "With my husband being a student and stay-at-home dad for the past few years, we were left with no income and three under 3 to provide for. However, I will never regret putting my family first. Everyone says that the first year with twins is survival mode and with us it has been doubly so. So for October, I just wanted to do something fun, something that we can do together as a family."
From the Rose family of Schitt's Creek to Lucy and Ethel, Fox, Marigold, and Lera have sported some of the most adorable and creative costumes we've seen on kids so far. Scroll through some of our favorites ahead and stay tuned for new ones every day this October!