Bes-Ben Millinery

Bes-Ben Hats

1990.4.1, 1999.25, 2001.5.1, 2015.12

Through the 1960s, hats were worn daily by most women. The Kenilworth Historical Society’s costume collection contains over three dozen women’s hats. Most notably, KHS has four hats from the famed millinery Bes-Ben, donated by long-time Kenilworth resident, Marie Bonnell. Dubbed Chicago’s “Mad Hatter”, Benjamin Green-Field of Bes-Ben, designed eccentric and flamboyant hats popular among the region’s affluent women and numerous celebrities, including Hedda Hopper, Marlene Dietrich, and Elizabeth Taylor. Green-field was known for decorating his hats with unusual items such as kitchen utensils, and a variety of figures, including miniature animals, cigarette packs, and skyscrapers. Bes-Ben hat prices ranged from $80 to $1,000. Once a year, women lined up outside his flagship shop at 938 N. Michigan Ave. to purchase a hat for just $5.