Pop culture provides unending - and fleeting - costume ideas

In mid-September, a 15-second video that went viral showed an industrious New York City rat dragging a slice of pizza down the steps of a subway stop.

Five days later, the Arizona costume company Yandy began accepting preorders for an $89.95 "Pizza Rat" Halloween costume. True to Yandy's lingerie-company roots, the ensemble was designed for those who like their vermin sexy, featuring a gray mini-dress, conspicuously placed pockets that look like slices of pepperoni pizza, and "an attached hood with adorable rat ears," as the company website notes. About a week later, Yandy's Los Angeles manufacturer began shipping the finished product to buyers.

"It's an exclusive costume," said CEO Chad Horstman, whose company is known for some unexpected offerings, like its "Sexy Corn on the Cob" and "Sexy Hamburger" costumes. "We add unique costumes to the mix every year."

That's easy when the gods of pop culture and social media are always providing new fodder, at the same time making costumes from years past irrelevant - including last year's Ice Bucket Challenge options, and the teddy-bear bodysuit Miley Cyrus wore when she twerked her way through her 2013 Video Music Awards performance.

In fact, Halloween is one of the fastest-growing consumer holidays, according to the National Retail Federation, with enthusiasts anticipated this year to spend an average of $74.34 on costumes.

"It speaks to the growing popularity of Halloween that people are willing to invest in a costume for one night," Horstman said. "It's like a prom dress or something you'd buy for a wedding or a special event."

That means even the most fleeting meme - read: less than 15 famous minutes - can get some love on Halloween.

With so many options, how do retailers pick?

Before turning a pop-culture moment into an ensemble that may need explaining years later, Horstman and his team ask three questions: Can someone win a costume contest in this? Is it recognizable and easy to manufacture? Will it be offensive to too many people?

"There are certain things we don't go into, like religious-type things. So no sexy nuns or popes or anything like that," Horstman said. "Obviously, some people will find some of our costumes offensive, but there are certain lines we try not to cross."

Pizza Rat got the thumbs-up. So, too, did Yandy's most popular offering thus far, the $46.95 "What is the Color?" dress costume, a body-hugging sheath with white-and-gold stripes on one side and blue-and-black ones on the other - a nod to one of this year's biggest viral conundrums.

And although this isn't a presidential election year, the so-far colorful candidates have prompted retailers to mine the political realm, including Yandy's $69.95 "Donna T. Rumpshaker" ensemble, which has blue hot pants and a red tie, but not Donald Trump's trademark comb-over. (That's an extra $9.95. An additional $7.95 buys an oversize "Make American Great" red baseball hat.)

Buycostumes.com has sold out of its "Mr. CEO Election" wigs and Hillary Clinton masks, but Gov. Christie is still available - even on sale, for $1 less. Another company sellout is the $69.99 "Katy Perry Left Shark" costume - you know, mocking this year's Super Bowl halftime show.

"People get it," said Holly Botsford, social-media manager of the online-only retailer. "It's funny."

Her company offers what Botsford calls a DIY version of "Pizza Rat," suggesting costumers buy the company's standard pizza-slice costume - marked down to $22.99 - and add mouse accessories. The rat is this year's version of "Spider Dog," the company notes, a costume inspired by a 2014 YouTube video of - what else? - a dog in a spider costume terrorizing strangers. Still online, the video currently has more than 151 million views.

"We see this every year: A meme will catch on somewhere around Halloween time," Botsford said, "and people will really get on that train."

Of course, some costumes will inevitably offend. Spirit Halloween of New Jersey is one of multiple retailers offering a Caitlyn Jenner costume - an off-white corset similar to the one she wore on the July cover of Vanity Fair and long brown wig for $49.99, as well as a $39.99 "Decathlon Track Star" costume that harks back to Jenner's Olympic days, with a medal and shaggy 1970s-style wig. Though some have said the costume is insulting to Jenner, Trisha Lombardo, Spirit Halloween's marketing and PR supervisor, said the company actually wanted to pay tribute.

"We create a wide range of costumes based on celebrities, and our Caitlyn costume was meant to celebrate her," said Lombardo, who acknowledged receiving negative feedback from consumers. "These costumes are reflective of pop culture."

Another controversial 2015 ensemble is the "Lion-Killer Dentist," which, if you already forgot, acknowledges Walter Palmer, the American dentist who, way back in July, killed Zimbabwe's beloved Cecil the lion.

Currently being sold by Costumeish.com for $139.99, the costume includes a bloodstained white dental coat, plastic gloves, and detached lion head mask. Calls and emails to the California company were not returned. On its website, Costumeish notes that it has raised the price of the costume because of demand. "We reserve our right to freedom of speech and expression," said the website, "and will not be removing this costume for any reason whatsoever."

But it should be noted that Costumeish.com also is offering "Cecil's Revenge Dentist Killer," a full-body lion costume that comes with a severed human head mask for $99.99. And Yandy added to its inventory this year "cute and cuddly" - and sexy - "Cecil the Lion" costumes for $118.95, and will donate the profits from that costume to a wildlife charity.

Even PETA is jumping into the costume game this year, selling "Cecil's Revenge" for $139.99, a dentist's uniform with name tag and plush lion attacking from behind and leaving blood, teeth, and claw marks.

"Accessorize with a drill, a toothbrush, or a toy crossbow," the website suggests. They're not included.