Bes-Ben was best known for fantastical hats, but what did the man who created them wear? In this blog post, CHM costume collection intern Penelope Ham writes about Benjamin Benedict Green-Field’s personal style.
While milliner Benjamin Green-Field (1898–1988), cofounder of the Bes-Ben hat shop, is renowned for his unconventional hats, his equally iconic personal wardrobe is not as well-known. In addition to the nickname of “The Mad Hatter of Chicago,” Green-Field was also described as flamboyant, extravagant, and a “connoisseur of art and design.”
Benjamin Green-Field flanked by Barbara Lowe (Mrs. A. Loring Rowe, left) and Hanchen Stern (Mrs. Gardner H. Stern, right) at the opening reception of the exhibition The Whimsical World of Bes-Ben Hats at the Chicago Historical Society, April 14, 1976. CHM, ICHi-069732
He loved to travel and made more than 59 trips around the world in his lifetime. He was fascinated with life overseas and wrote in great detail about what he saw during his travels. Green-Field’s deep interest in clothing and textiles was greatly influenced by his travels, and his wardrobe consisted largely of custom suits made from fabrics he would buy abroad.
Suit, c. 1975. Silk. Gents Tailor Alberts, India. Gift of Mr. Benjamin B. Green-Field. 1978.163a-c. Top: CHM, ICHi-170032. Bottom: CHM, ICHi-170037
The purpose and conventional use of the fabric was of little importance to him, and some, such as the jacket below, were made of upholstery fabrics. One newspaper in Capri knew him as “the man of twenty shirts,” and he was followed by the press everywhere he went due to his extravagant outfits and his love for being photographed.
In addition to elaborate patterns, his suits also provide a number of other eye-catching, intricate details. The jacket and pants contain many pockets, on both the inside and outside of the garments, as well as extra pleating in the back, almost evocative of a skirt.
Man’s suit of multicolored tapestry fabric. 1989.562.1.82a-c.
Pictured above is one of Green-Field’s iconic suit jackets. In addition to many pockets, this jacket is also collarless and would have been paired with an equally showy shirt or tie.
Here is a back view of the same jacket. On the sides, some of the skirt-like pleating can be seen.
The jacket’s interior has an equally lavish lining, another hallmark of Green-Field’s suits. In some cases, he opted for a simpler fabric on the outside. The lining would not be seen by the public and therefore was just for him to enjoy.
Although the Bes-Ben shop closed its doors for good in 1978 following the decline of hats in fashion, Green-Field’s legacy lives on today through his vibrant clothes, unique designs, and spectacular sense of style. You can learn more about Benjamin Benedict Green-Field and see a selection of Bes-Ben hats in our exhibition Chicago: Crossroads of America.
Additional Resources
- View photographs of select Bes-Ben hats from our Costume and Textiles Collection
- Read our blog post “A Perfect Hat for Fall“
- For further reading, try Elizabeth Jachimowicz’s book Bes-Ben: Chicago’s Mad Hatter
- Learn about the Benjamin B. Green-Field Foundation, which strives to improve the quality of life for children and the elderly in Chicago.