MILLENNIUM AT THE MALL.

Byline: Barbara De Witt Fashion Editor

Fab as it may be, 1999 hasn't made fashion history.

It's the year 2000 that's getting all the attention, with celebratory words and icons on everything from baby socks to tuxedo shirts.

Fashion experts such as Halston designer Kevin Hall (he designs gowns for Oscar's red carpet parade) call all of these otherwise ordinary items ``collectible fashion'' that may be worth something in 25 years but isn't necessarily beautiful.

While it may be only a T-shirt with the year emblazoned in glitter glue, it allows us to feel part of the salute to a new millennium (and, hopefully, better fashion), says Nordstrom fashion director June Rau, who predicts we'll be tired of Y2K fashions by February.

And it must be selling, as Bloomingdale's stores have already sold out and closed up their Y2K boutiques.

But last-minute millennium shoppers still can find lots of clothes and accessories to wear while counting down to 2000. Or to stuff inside a time capsule.

On a recent mall patrol, there was plenty of wearable booty at Nordstrom, where the items ranged from sparkly hairpins for $18 to cuff links for $115 and crystal-covered shoes for $700.

Target stores were more budget-conscious, with knit one-size-fits-all ski caps and an assortment of T-shirts and hoodies for the entire family priced at under $10 each.

At Robinsons-May you can find Calvin Klein T-shirts with 2000 across the front, and coming soon to Mervyn's will be an array of millennium merchandise.

Meanwhile, Y2K shirts and hats are in stock at specialty stores, including Hallmark and Warner Bros. Studio stores.

If you're wondering what's next, stay tuned.

North Hollywood-based OPI cosmetic company will introduce the Millennium Manicure next week with a limited edition of nail polish called the Odyssey 2000 Collection.

In any other year, it would just be called metallic polish, but you know how it is in a millennium year ...

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9 Photos

Photo: (1--5--Color) Salute the new year in style, clockwise from top left, Y2K suspenders, $140, and cuff links, $115, by Trafalgar, with an Ike Behar tuxedo shirt, $175. For her, a glittery hair comb, $28, and hairpin, $18, crystal-accented purses and shoes by Stuart Weitzman, about $780 each (depending on design), and keepsake scarf, right, by Echo, $75, all from Nordstrom.

(6--9--Color) For informal outings, far left: a child-size hoodie, $9.99, from Target; a ski cap, $6.99, from Target; socks, $6.50, from Nordstrom and a ball cap, above, $14.95, from Hallmark stores.