HOT TIPS : LEOPARD LUNACY HITS THE SPOT.

Byline: Barbara De Witt 

Sure, it's cheesy, but that's what makes leopard print so much fun.

Back in the '50s, starlets posed on leopard rugs as well in leopard-print clothing and now, in the throes of nostalgia, big-name stars like Brad Pitt are doing the same. OK, so Pitt is on pillows instead of a rug for a recent magazine layout, but he still looks swell, thinks Miz Hot Tips, who rushed out to buy a stack of pillows for her place.

Even old guys are going for it, like Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards, who suited up in a leopard blazer for the Stones' recent concerts at Dodger Stadium, but the print is primarily for women and home furnishings.

For anybody who hasn't bought into the trend yet, there's still plenty of time. Instead of cooling off, it's getting hotter.

On a recent leopard-spotting safari, Miz Hot Tips snared a chair covered in velvet leopard print, but she and her friends got there first, so try Macy's for a similar version ...

At the Guess? store you'll find candles wrapped in leopard pouches, and at the new Laurie Wier boutique in the Woodland Hills Promenade, you'll find all kinds of leopard clothing to wear with those tiny beaded evening bags. For the cold weather ahead, how about a leopard-print body suit to be worn like long underwear? It's available at the Ski Chalet in West Hills.

At Ross Dress for Less, Miz Hot Tips found leopard umbrellas for $8.99. She spotted bath towels for $14.99 each at Kmart and a huge Ralph Lauren leopard bedding collection at Robinsons-May.

Over at Macy's, she found the killer print in a 20-piece dinnerware set for $89.99 as well as on handcrafted wool pile rugs from China, priced at $249 for a doormat size and $899 for an 8-by-11-foot area rug.

Not sure how to use leopard without seeing spots when your eyes are closed? A little goes a long way, and it works best with black for a contemporary look or with antiques and deep red accents for a sophisticated Old World theme.

Ditto on leopard clothing. Keep it simple, with just one item.

Think pink: Hollywood has gone ga-ga over transvestites, so you'll be in good company if you're a guy who loves wearing dresses. Just do it with style and good taste, advises Veronica Vera in her helpful and humorous new book ``Miss Vera's Finishing School for Boys Who Want to Be Girls'' (Doubleday; $14.95).

A bible for would-be drag queens, the little pink book is packed with tips on how to walk, talk and even stand like a girl (Vera recommends beginners study husky-voiced actresses such as Demi Moore or Lauren Bacall and learn to walk with the butt tucked in so that you stand tall and thrust your chest out). Other tips cover visiting the ladies room, where you should use the buddy system with a real girl as your escort. And before you leave, remember to check your skirt to see that it's not stuck in your pantyhose. Miz Hot Tips adds that it wouldn't hurt to powder your nose and your 5 o'clock shadow while you're there.

Shopper's alert: New stores to add to your list are City Green, which specializes in garden ornaments and tabletop fountains, and Mahogany Bay, which has elegant candles and housewares (check out the candelabra with the jewels hanging off it), both at Woodland Hills Promenade.

Northridge finally has a Gelson's market, with fancy fruit and cool kitchen gifties, and Whole Foods Market in West Los Angeles now has its own Jamba Juice ``store within a store,'' so you can order a fresh smoothie while you're doing your shopping.

Loehmann's in Beverly Hills has expanded, and today it opens its new menswear department with off-priced suits and sportswear. In the same neighborhood, you'll find the new Lacoste boutique (447 Rodeo Drive), where Lacoste golf pro Andre Magee will make a guest appearance and give putting tips at 11 a.m. Sunday.

New and nifty: Flashlights powerful enough to light a path are usually heavy, so Miz Hot Tips was majorly impressed with Polaroid's new PolaPulse Light. It's the shape, sizDe and weight of a tiny powder compact, yet it produces a big beam. Look for it at drug and convenience stores for $6.99 and keep it handy for the next earthquake (the big ones always hit before dawn).

Shoes for the daily grind: Forget Reeboks and all those other sneakers. They've been upstaged by Soap, the shoe with a skateboarder's 'tude and a special patented smooth spot on a replaceable grid that allows you to actually grind and slide on the sidewalk.

``It's a lifestyle shoe - and an entertaining way to walk,'' explained Pat Parnell, spokesman for the three-week-old Torrance-based company. The shoes come in black, white, and black and yellow, priced at $79.95, at Valley Skate & Surf in North Hills, Chaus in Agoura and all Val Surf shops. You'll need to replace the grind plates about once a month depending on how active you are in them, but they're cheap - about $2 each. For more information, call Parnell at [phone].

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Photo: A look for the ages, a leopard blazer was part of guitarist Keith Richards' attire for the Rolling Stones Dodger Stadium concerts.

Gus Ruelas/Daily News