Lord, how things have changed!

    The latest in "mens" fashion accessory are expensive, colorful stretch underwear from brands like 2exist, Calvin, Klein, Ginch and Jockey.  Much like Victoria's Secret and Frederick's of Hollywood did with women's lingerie in the '80s, upstart companies like 2xist and C-in2, along with stalwarts like Jockey and Calvin Klein, are selling designer undies to the masses and making big bucks.

    In a slumping fashion market, sales of men's undergarments climbed 14 percent to 3.6 billion U.S. dollars last year from 3.1 billion dollars in 2004, according to the market research firm NPD Group. Sales of women's panties were up only 7.7 percent, to 3.1 billion dollars from 2.9 billion dollars in 2004.

    Julie Hornburg, director of sales for intimates at Diesel, says men have begun to consider underwear an "event purchase"-- something special to don on Saturday night.

    "They want to have nice underwear on, for when they finally drop their pants," she says. Helping guys look sexier with pants on is also a big selling point.

    "We have a customer from Wall Street that swears by our thong because he doesn't want a visible panty line," says Jason Zambuto, cofounder of C-in2 (pronounced "see into"), which packages its briefs in colors named after food flavors like blueberry and lime-aide

    C-in2's "Sling" brief provides a lift similar to the Wonder Bra and has been a major hit since its introduction two years ago, with 500,000 pair sold in stores like Saks and Bloomingdale's. This year, Cin2 unveiled a marvel of underwear engineering that's even more gravity-defying: the "Trophy Shelf."

    Companies are designing, delivering and selling ever more exotic -- and expensive -- offerings.

    Dolce & Gabbana sells camouflage "Combat" briefs for 38 dollars a pair. Paul Frank can suit you up with "Butt huggers" for 28 dollars. And men who sip soy lattes can now purchase soy shorts from 2xist. No, they're not edible, but they're "environmentally friendly," UV protected, and they'll set you back 20 dollars a pair.

    "It feels like cashmere," company designer Jason Scarlatti says of the briefs, which are made from soybean fibers and spandex.

    "The consumers are more knowledgeable," says Paula Barnes, director of men's merchandising at Jockey, "and they are paying attention to additional features."

    Jockey recently introduced a new "3D innovations" line, at 14 dollars a brief, that stretches in eight different directions. The spring line comes in wild colors, including three shades of orange, a hue that's usually a tough sell in men's undies.

    Jockey is also slowly weaning gents from two industry standards: the color white, and the fly. Today, 38 percent of the underwear it sells is colored, and 15 percent is flyless

    "Our consumer research tells us there is a customer out there who doesn't use the fly and doesn't want the fly," says Barnes.

    Arnie Bautista buys designer underwear by the bunch.

    "For me, it's an investment," says the 31-year-old advertising executive from New York. "I like to look really good out of my clothes."

     He spends up to 350 dollars a season on expensive stretchy shorts. He has 50 or 60 pairs -- so many, that he's run out of shelf space for all those drawers. About the only kind of undies he doesn't own?

    "I don't wear Fruit of the Loom," he said.

    (Agencies)