Spirit Halloween, the iconic costume and prop store, has inspired a slew of memes related to their costumes.
Deemed the “Fake Spirit Halloween Costumes” meme by database Know Your Meme, the trend originated in 2019, “when the Facebook meme page Guy Fieri’s Post-Ironic Meme Vault uploaded a picture of what appeared to be a Guy Fieri costume being sold at a Spirit Halloween, but the image itself was photoshopped to mimic the design of real costume packaging at the retailer.”
However, the trend re-emerged and “saw a significant spike in usage during the 2022 Spooktober season, when people created humorous costumes such as ‘Tech Tip Man,’” according to Know Your Meme.
Twitter users are now parodying knock-off costumes by adding various pop culture icons to Spirit Halloween packaging and slapping on an absurd (yet usually accurate) name.
Padmé Amidala and Anakin Skywalker, of the "Star Wars" franchise, for example, became the "Tragic Space Couple."
Willow Rosenberg from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" was repackaged as "Lesbian Witch."
And the "Our Flag Means Death" version of the ruthless Captain Blackbeard was reduced to "Leather Clad Middle Aged Sad Sack."
Some people online parodied real-life stereotypes, like the "Graduate Student" costume, which, according to the parody doesn't include a "self-esteem" or "will to live."
Another made a jab at the unimaginative fashion in the nation's capitol with "Man in DC."
Spirit Halloween has not yet publicly addressed its widely memed costumes.
In a response to a request for comment, a spokesperson for the store said, "Stay tuned to our Twitter and Instagram accounts this evening."