Yesterday, Gawker writer Neetzan Zimmerman brought our attention to the dark world of "needlessly sexy" Halloween costumes. Today ABC News has a special report on one particular iteration — the "sassy Big Bird."

"Sassy"? Yeah, OK.

From the ABC story:

A representative from costumecraze.com told ABC News that although its original Big Bird costume sold out before the first presidential debate, it saw a 500 percent increase in sales for the women's "sassy Big Bird adult costume" post-debate. The "sassy" rendition of the beloved "Sesame Street" character is a short, yellow-ruffled dress with orange knee-highs and pink accents. The costume comes complete with a bird headband.

What this costume actually looks like is the gruesome work of someone who murdered Big Bird and fashioned an outfit out of various parts. Why, yes, the top half of Big Bird's head does make a fashionable hat, you monster.

It is, at least, a little less horrifying than the Yandy.com version Neetzan highlighted. The feet read more "weird ankle growths."

But get used to it, because "sassy/sexy/slutty Big Bird" is apparently an actual trend: costumecraze.com and other overpriced online costume suppliers have all noticed an uptick in sales. The "sassy Cookie Monster" and "sassy Elmo" costumes are sadly not seeing the same Romney bump.

If Romney's inadvertent endorsement is the driving force behind the "sexy Big Bird" trend, we can only hope more debate-inspired costumes are on the horizon. "Slutty Jim Lehrer," anyone?

[Image via AP]