As we approach the peak of the spooky season, many parents are likely scrambling around to find costumes for their kids at the supermarket.
One mum and daughter, however, have decided to go more hands-on with their outfit this year. Dawn Liderth and her daughter Seattle, 10, from Bolton, designed a terrifying and unique DIY costume to go out trick-or-treating in.
The pair managed to combine characters from Seattle's favourite Halloween film, The Nightmare Before Christmas, incorporating both Jack Skellington and Sally to create a truly terrifying outfit. The mum-of-three spoke to the Manchester Evening News about how she and her daughter try to be as creative as possible when it comes to designing costumes, no matter what the occasion.
"We try every year to do kind of quirky things that you don't really see on an everyday kind of basis," Dawn said. "We did the Corpse Bride last year and then we did half Aurora, half Maleficient the year before."
Discussing the inspiration behind this year's outfit, Dawn said: "Her favourite film has always been The Nightmare Before Christmas. We actually found the costume online and we've been practising how to do hair and makeup.
"She helps me as much as she can. And she really wants to do that kind of thing because she's a freestyle dancer."
Seattle practises freestyle dancing at Twizzles Dance and Fitness in Horwich and hopes that she can one day be a teacher there while opening up her own company to make costumes for other freestyle dancers. Because of this, Dawn ensures that her little girl has every opportunity she can to express her creativity.
"When we were children it was all bin bags and green face paint," Dawn added. "So every year, I always try and help her do something that she wants to achieve.
"My other two aren't really as interested as she is, so we did it between us. We watch YouTube videos together and master little things that we've never done before.
"She wants to do costume making for freestyle dancers when she's older and she wants to do makeup at competitions so I think if she can do it now at such a young age then she'll be able to do what she wants when she's older and be as creative as she wants."
For the red hair, the pair got hold of some wool and wove it into plaits which they prepared the night before the rest of the costume to ensure it was ready. When the whole family goes out trick-or-treating this year, however, it won't just be Seattle wearing a unique outfit Dawn's youngest daughter Ella, six, will sport a petrifying Pennywise outfit while her son TJ, 11, will be wearing an innovative DIY glowstick man costume.
Not one to shy away from putting effort into her kids' costumes, Dawn noted that "It took me three nights of hand stitching to make the Pennywise outfit".
To help spur her creativity, the pair have not only made costumes for Halloween, but for other festive holidays and events such as World Book Day. While Seattle's makeup for this Halloween may look complicated, Dawn revealed that it only took them around 40 minutes to complete, so other parents shouldn't get discouraged if they want to push the boat out a little this year with fancy dress.
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