Kelly Ripa has been such an active part of people's morning routine that it's fun to think she's America's best friend. The peppy mom first gained the spotlight due to the ABC daytime soap opera, All My Children. Her character, Hayley Vaughan, was on the show from 1990 to 2002. When she was announced as Kathie Lee Gifford's replacement on Live With Regis and Kathie Lee in 2001, Regis himself said that he had a good feeling about her. His intuition was correct. She's personable, bubbly, and fashionable. Well, according to her fans, that is.
Lola, who is Kelly's daughter with husband Mark Consuelos, is forming her own path to success, and it may have something to do with fashion. When Lola is out on the red carpet, she can't help but get noticed. And according to Kelly, it has nothing to do with mom. From an early start, Lola has always known what to wear and what looks good.
"We have nothing to do with it literally because she’s mortified by everything we put on," Kelly said to People.
This story first appeared on LittleThings in 2020, when Lola was 18 years old.
The good news is that Lola is always around to help her parents figure out what works and what doesn't. "I do ask her for advice sometimes," Mark stated. "You know, she’ll let us know if something’s bad." It's good to know she's not afraid to give some pointers to her celebrity parents.
At least, with Mark. Kelly shares a different story. "She doesn’t even bother with me," Kelly admitted to People. "She just feels that what I wear is embarrassing and awful. But then I think that means that I’ve gotten something right." She makes a good point.
More from LittleThings: Charlize Theron Details The Family Violence She Experienced As A Child
Lola is just one of three of Kelly and Mark's children. She has an older brother named Michael and a younger brother named Joaquin. In a house surrounded by boys, you'd assume that she'd have a special bond with her mom — but in a way, it's kind of nice to know that Kelly's kids treat her the same way most kids treat their parents.
"I don’t think your teenage daughters should like what you’re wearing," Kelly said. So at least she's not hurt by the fact that Lola is slightly embarrassed about her mom's choice in clothing. Plus, since Kelly has been in the industry for some time, she is probably quite familiar with using personal stylists for big televised events.
Lola made her Instagram public, which means she may be ready to put herself out there as a style influencer. She already has over 258K followers, and that will likely increase with each and every event she attends. Most of her images focus around what she's wearing, and she's not afraid to try a bunch of different looks.
Lola got extra attention when her mom revealed their family's Christmas card a few years back. The card opens up to showcase plenty of photos from the shoot, many with Kelly trying to run into the shot last moment. Even though she easily could have hired someone to snap the photo, it's pretty sweet that she wanted to do it herself.
In the photo, Lola looks stunning in a floor-length black gown. Kelly's previous cohost Ryan Seacrest liked the card, but he also said it looked a lot like a promo shoot for a television series. "What's going on with that family from the Upper East Side?" he joked. This is reportedly the first card that has featured Kelly in over 20 years, so it makes sense why she's psyched about it.
Lola's eye for fashion also made the news in previous years, when she attended the CNN Heroes Gala in New York with her mom. The two both looked great, but Lola looked like someone who's no stranger to a gala. E! News reported that her dress came from Reformation. Kelly chose to wear a Balmain dress to the event, pairing it with jewelry from Stephen Russell.
Mark and Kelly have always been proud of their daughter. In 2020, they dropped her off at college for the first semester, and it was reportedly a tear-filled event. Lola is attending New York University, so at least her parents should know she's at a good place that is easy for them to visit, as they're based in Manhattan.
Kelly made sure to share a sweet throwback photo of Lola on her show. "#tbt 2001 from your Christening to college," Kelly wrote in the caption. "In the blink of an eye. I’m not crying. You’re crying (actually Daddy’s sobbing)." Mark and Lola share a special bond, so it's quite obvious that a few tears would be shed.
Another popular photo of Lola appeared on Kelly's Instagram feed. When she went to prom, she donned a gorgeous emerald dress. However, the young fashionista reportedly made her own secret alterations to the dress that her parents weren't aware of. Let's just say, it used to be slightly more modest.
"That’s the prom dress that we had made, and then she had altered behind our back, when we weren't (looking)," said Kelly. "So, that’s why, you know, the girls are fully on display," Kelly said on Jerry O', per USA Today. "Everybody came down the stairs together, and I just mean Lola."
No matter what, Kelly seems so proud of the young woman that her daughter has become. And even better, she seems to acknowledge the fact that as a teenager, their relationship has changed — as it'll change again in the future, when Lola officially graduates and fully becomes a young adult. By altering her dress, Lola was making a statement. And that is, she's her own person.
While she's still young, it'd be a shame if Lola didn't take the fashion bug seriously. She's already gained a following and has so much room to grow as a stylist, if that's a career that interests her. As Lola lets new fans in, we'll be able to learn what path she chooses to take. And surely, we'll also hear a lot about it from Kelly.
