Let’s be honest, when Jonah Hill first appeared on our screens as the awkward, sex-obsessed Evan in noughties classic Superbad, it didn’t seem like he’d become an idol for hypebeasts across the globe. Yet here we are.
The journey to sartorial greatness has been a long one. As Jonah progressed from his Superbad-era hoodies-and-jeans, he segued into a post-noughties style of ill-fitting blazers, Ray Bans and popped collars (that, incidentally, wouldn’t have looked out of place in Jonah’s 2016 film War Dogs). But if The Wolf of Wall Street star looked uncomfortable, like he was still finding his look, that’s because he was: whether it was in lurid Aztec print shirts or aviators and stonewashed denim, he was certainly yet to go full hypebeast.
Just a few years later, however, and his style choices have become so influential that GQ was branding him a “style savior”. “The culture needs guys like him,” the publication wrote back in 2017. His glow up became memeable too — “I wanna look like 2017 Jonah Hill,” wrote one fan on Twitter, “but I’m more like 2015 Jonah Hill”. By this year, the transformation had hit its hypebeast peak. In fact he’s become such an unlikely icon that legions of fans follow his #OOTDs on Instagram account @jonahfits.
Run by a mysterious Jonah Hill fan, who will divulge little more than he’s in his 20s and works in finance, @jonahfits is exactly what it sounds like — an almost daily visual diary of the actor’s streetwear and formal looks. “I honestly figured a Jonah Hill style Instagram would have already existed by the time I searched for it,” the mysterious creator says. “Once I saw there wasn’t I knew there would be an appetite for it so I created it.”
And there definitely is an appetite for Jonah fashion content. Every picture posted on the feed, whether it’s Jonah in red Palace sweatpants, Grateful Dead inspired tie-dye tees, bowling shirts or all black date night outfits, is accompanied by gushing comments like “King Jonah”, “big Jonah energy”, “my man looking ripped” or “chill Jonah the fashion world is not ready”.
The Instagram’s creator tells us that Jonah’s appeal is down to his authenticity, and his close ties to skate culture. His new project Mid90s is a coming of age skate film, and the actor also appeared in Palace’s most recent ad for the opening of their new Tokyo store. “His whole aesthetic is supporting the homies and wearing clothes made by people he aligns himself with,” he explains. “He’s also a part of skate culture so that’s what so much of his style is based upon. His authenticity is what separates him from so many other celebrities.”
Maybe that authenticity explains why Jonah captures the fashion world’s imagination more than other scumbro celebrities, like Pete Davidson, do. Explaining the rise of scumbro, a Vanity Fair piece earlier this year called it “trustafarian co-ed meets Supreme”: “[It] is the version of streetwear that wears irony like it’s a dewy hint of highlighter on the cheekbone — like normcore did, but much less precious,” wrote Kenzie Bryant. And whether it’s in oversized Palace tees, Lotties hoodies or overcoats with no trousers and some Adidas trainers, Jonah has embraced the look.
“It’s a relatively new phenomenon,” @jonahfits says of Jonah’s ascent to streetwear royalty. “Especially compared to the amount of time he’s been in the public eye.” While Pete was maligned and poked fun of on social media for his style, and Justin Bieber’s brief scumbro era divided his fans, Jonah’s earned him a new level of fashion credibility. When he appeared on the Failing Upwards podcast recently, he even dedicated part of his time to explaining the story behind his infamous Suns jersey outfit, much to his fans delight.
While a pivot to an entirely new style can alienate fans, Jonah’s appear to have followed him on his journey from awkward teen to scumbro to the Olsen-esque minimalist, black looks he’s recently been been captured in with The Row’s founders Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen. In fact, @jonahfits has now moved on from just posting fit pic captions with jokes or rap lyrics, to branching out into research on the brands the actor is wearing and where his fans can cop them, as a response to increasing follower demand.
With Jonah set to host this week’s SNL, surely the eyes of the Insta fashion world will be on @jonahfits to chronicle his fashion choices. Will he go streetwear classics or a more formal, suited Jonah look for his opening monologue? What ever the choice, his Instagram fans will be there to call him a king regardless.