For years now, polite society has been torn over the fur question. On a 1995 trip to Rocky Mountain National Park with my friends Will and Jamie Bower, I was hit with what can only be regarded as an artistic, aesthetic, and political epiphany. Finally, something both the pro-fur and anti-fur camps can agree on.

Here I’m seen modeling the ever trendy Live Gopher Hat Pin. All the rage on the runways of Paris and Milano this Spring, it’s perfect for the casual evening with friends. This handy wash-n-wear ground squirrel makes the perfect accessory, here adding character and fun to my simple hiking headgear. Ground squirrel: Mr. Roget’s of Beverly Hills, $75. Hat: Boulder Army Store, @$7. T-shirt: Mr. Roget’s of Beverly Hills, $135. Trail mix: King Soopers, $1.29/lb. Photograph by William Bower, MD.

Versatility is the watchword this season, and in this photo I demonstrate how sometimes a hat pin isn’t just a hat pin. Worn as a brooch, this luxurious chipgopher adds a supreme touch of elegance to your evening ensemble. Whether hobnobbing with the DuPonts or embarked upon a blind drunken wenching binge with the Kennedys, your Live Gopher brooch makes a statement that is almost impossible to understand. Ground squirrel: Mr. Roget’s of Beverly Hills, $75. Hat: Boulder Army Store, @$7. T-shirt: Mr. Roget’s of Beverly Hills, $135. Stupid facial expression: Mom and Dad, free. Photograph by William Bower, MD.