A NEW LEAF Cover mom

CLICK TO SHOP JULIA’S NEW BRAND, PARTERRE! Having grown the renowned, celebrity-loved footwear brand, Loeffler Randall, for more than a decade alongside her husband, there was one more facet of her brand just waiting to be brought to life. We caught up with NYC mom of three JESSIE LOEFFLER RANDALL, in her first-ever retail store to talk design, business, and her most recent motherhood challenge.

photography courtesy of LOEFFLER RANDALL FANCY FOOTWORK A NEW LEAF

As the founder of Gal Meets Glam, JULIA BEROLZHEIMER quickly made a name for herself in the fashion world, ultimately growing her digital creative outlet into a full-fledged brand. Now, she’s turned over a new leaf and planted roots for her growing family in Charleston—expecting her second baby later this year—and embarked on a new venture with Parterre, a thoughtfully designed shop for women, littles, and home.

photography by

THOMAS BEROLZHEIMER

A NEW LEAF

MINI | We’re thrilled to have you on our cover! Let’s dive right into your life as a mom. What does your morning routine look like?

JULIA BEROLZHEIMER | Thank you so much, honored to be here! Our morning routine has changed a bit over the past few months, as Clementine started preschool back in August. We wake up at 6:30, make her breakfast, get us all dressed and out of the house by 7:45 and drop her off. I’ll stop and grab a cup of coffee on my way home and start working around 8:15. I love having my mornings now; the house is so quiet (not for long though with a new baby on the way).

MINI | How has motherhood changed you?

JULIA BEROLZHEIMER | I am the same person, but also completely new. It feels like I now have this extension of my body outside of me. My priorities are different, which is the biggest change. Our daughter (soon to be daughters) will always be our top priority above anything else. I find I am more efficient with my time since I have less of it. I want the things that I do to be meaningful and fulfilling, whether that’s work, going to dinner with a friend, or hanging out with my husband. I compare everything to, “but is this worth not being with my daughter right now?” It’s made me tougher as well and I feel more confident in my choices and where I stand when I say no.

MINI | What do you think is the greatest challenge of motherhood?

JULIA BEROLZHEIMER | Managing my own emotions to not let them impact how I react and respond in a child-challenging moment. It’s something I try and practice daily. I want my daughter to know that it’s okay to cry, to be angry, upset, or frustrated, and not shut

her down when she is having a tough time. I definitely don’t want to be shut down when I’m having a tough time!

MINI | How are you and your husband a great parenting team?

JULIA BEROLZHEIMER | We are equals in how we parent, and honestly, that has been so amazing. I grew up in a family of four, with a single working mother, so I have seen how incredibly difficult it can be to not have a partner to help with everything. Having a husband who not only offers to help, but actually wants to, is so wonderful. It takes a lot of pressure off of me.

MINI | You’re now expecting Baby #2! How has this pregnancy been different from your first?

JULIA BEROLZHEIMER | It has been very different. I have felt different physically and emotionally. I was much more sick this time around, and it lasted far longer than my first pregnancy. It’s also more tiring to have a toddler to look after while being pregnant. I got to be more selfish with my first. But overall, I have found that it’s going by much quicker.

MINI | What do you think is the one thing no one really warns you about, pregnancy wise?

JULIA BEROLZHEIMER | I feel like everyone overwarns you now! There is almost nothing you haven’t heard of whether through friends, family, or social media. I do generally think that more information allows you to be more prepared and have ideal expectations, but sometimes it can make me more worried or paranoid about things I don’t necessarily need to be thinking about.

JULIA ON THE CLOCK

ALWAYS IN MY FRIDGE

“Cheese.”

IF I HAD MORE TIME

“I would get more sleep.”

FAVE KIDS BOOK “Each Peach Pear Plum.”

GUILTY PLEASURE

“All sweets.”

NOW PLAYING “I always have jazz on.”

COFFEE ORDER “Oat milk latte.”

FAVE KIDS MOVIE “Ratatouille.”

FAVE RESTAURANT “Chez Nous.” 6 Payne Ct, Charleston, SC

FAVE KIDS SHOP “Smallable.”

SHOWS I’M WATCHING

“Ted Lasso and Modern Love.” MINI | Let’s talk the name game! Can you tell us how you chose your first daughter’s name and how you’re choosing names this time?

JULIA BEROLZHEIMER | We both love more untraditional names, ones that you don’t hear as often. We fell in love with the name Clementine, and around the same time had another little girl’s name picked out that we said would be so sweet if we ever had another girl in the future. Right when we found out we were having girl #2, we both knew that name we had been holding on to was perfect.

MINI | How are you preparing Clementine to be a big sister? What are her feelings about welcoming a new baby?

JULIA BEROLZHEIMER | We talk about the baby all the time and even though she’s only two, we try to explain to her how she’s going to be a big sister. She does understand more than we think and asks often to give her kisses on my belly. We also bought a few toddler books about bringing babies home that she loves to read.

MINI | Let’s talk fashion, of course! What are you living in right now? How are you dressing the bump?

JULIA BEROLZHEIMER | I have been living in maternity jeans with a loose blouse and ballet flats or a dress with a more relaxed fit, like our Charlotte Day Gown from Parterre. I’ve never bought heavily into maternity clothes, but rather re-wear or buy items that have a more forgiving fit that I can wear during pregnancy and after. With things cooling down and the baby arriving in winter, I have a feeling I’ll be living in my maternity jeans and big comfy sweaters in the coming months.

MINI | What baby gear do you plan on using for your little one?

JULIA BEROLZHEIMER | We pretty much kept everything that we used with Clementine, so we are in good shape already having almost everything we need. We also learned early on the first time around what we really needed versus what we never used. We love our Joolz Day3 Stroller and still use it for Clementine. We will put the infant seat back on once the baby comes. I am not super keen on getting a double stroller, and Clementine prefers to walk, run, or be on her bike on our walks anyway. I loved my baby carriers when C was small enough to go in them. I love Artipoppe for more fashion-forward ones, and Baby Bjorn for the classics. Our Nanit has been the #1 most used item and I am so grateful for it— we still use it!

MINI | Let’s talk nursery! How are you putting together your baby’s space?

JULIA BEROLZHEIMER | Baby will go into Clementine’s nursery which is already set up and ready for a baby, so that is so nice. We have been working on a ‘big girl’ room for C, which will be ready in early December, so we are hoping she’ll have a bit of time to switch over before the baby comes. The nursery is one of my favorite rooms in our house. We ended up buying a Restoration Hardware crib, but had the sides reupholstered in a sweet woodland animal Lisa Fine fabric so it feels more custom.

MINI | How about baby’s wardrobe? What are some pieces you can’t wait for her to wear?

JULIA BEROLZHEIMER | Like our gear, I saved almost all of Clementine’s clothes she has outgrown except for the ones that got stained or ruined, so this baby is going to be born with a whole wardrobe waiting for her! I am a second child, so I understand the hand-me-downs on a personal level. I love shopping for littles clothes, and am so excited to reuse

the pieces that Clementine wore that I love so much. I have bought a few new newborn things, as this baby will be born in winter, while C was born in the summer— lots of cozy onesies and little knits to keep her warm.

MINI | What are you most looking forward to about raising your kids in Charleston?

JULIA BEROLZHEIMER | One of the reasons why we love Charleston so much is the ease and pace of life. Everything is a bit slower, which at times can be frustrating, but ultimately makes us slow down in a nice way. I love our community, our neighborhood, and the friends that our girls will grow up with. We also have both of our parents here now, too. We love being minutes away from the beach, but also have a beautiful, historic downtown that is filled with fabulous restaurants, parks, and shops. There are so many outdoor activities to do with kids and our weather is mild, so they can be out all year long.

MINI | How many kids did you see yourself with growing up?

JULIA BEROLZHEIMER | I never really thought too much about having kids growing up. I always knew I wanted them, but I didn’t have a finite timeline, plan, or number. Now that we have experienced parenthood firsthand, we think we would like to not be outnumbered and keep it at two. Although, at the same time, I always remind myself that life has a way of surprising us, so who knows!

MINI | If you could give your kids one piece of advice, what would it be?

JULIA BEROLZHEIMER | Stay curious. Asking questions and seeking answers are life long skills that will always add tremendous value to your life and open up a whole new possibility of ideas and opportunities.