‘Sassy Big Bird’ costume flying off retailers shelves

Because the idea of a "sexy" Big Bird costume falls squarely into the "uncomfortable" category, it's a relief to learn that marketers for this year's hottest dress-up trend have toned it down a notch.

Instead, we get "Sassy Big Bird" — a yellow, feathered dress, slightly dejected looking birdy headpiece with requisite pink-and-orange stockings to complete the look that has been flying off shelves since Mitt Romney first threatened the giant puppet's existence during the Presidential Debate on Oct. 3.

"I love Big Bird, but I'm not going to keep spending money on things [and] to borrow money from China to pay for it," Romney said at the time.

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ABC News notes that Romney's reference to the 7-foot puppet has resulted in a veritable Big Bird craze. And no one is benefiting more than costume retailers.

Costumecraze.com, online shillers of the "Sassy Big Bird" get-up, tell the news network that sales are up "500 per cent" since the debate aired.

Up here in Canada, the idea has also taken off. CBC compiled a list of the Top 5 newsiest costumes of 2012, and Mr. Bird landed squarely in fourth place.

Other mentions on the inspired list include the Mars curiosity rover, the botched Spanish fresco, Korean pop star Psy, and Chavril — the blonde musical dyad comprised of Chad Kroeger and Avril Lavigne.

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American licensed retailers are also hearing a PBS-themed ca-ching of the cash register.

"We have four store locations, and all of them are selling out of the Big Bird costumes," Costume World CEO Marilyn Wick says.

Lest couples feel left out of the fun, Wick tells ABC that she's seen Big Bird and Obama pairings walk out of her store, and even better, Big Bird and Romney "with a machine gun doing Big Bird in."

Less popular? Big Bird's fuzzy counterparts like "Sassy Cookie Monster" and "Sassy Elmo," neither of whom has enjoyed the same post-debate sales uptick.

Here's hoping that PBS is in on some of those costume royalties. It may save Sesame Street come 2013.