Jennifer tolls lives in Oxfordshire in the UK with her husband Ed, their daughter Rosie and dog Leo. She started Not Just a Princess when her eyes opened to gender stereotyping for babies and children. She wanted to create a business that addressed that imbalance.
 
Rosie her daughter has a dinner plate set with a fairy princess on it. Over breakfast one morning, she wondered why she didn’t have a plate with a scientist, surgeon or plumber on it. Research showed Jennifer that those visuals don’t exist in mainstream merchandise, and if they do, they usually show a man doing the job.
 
Next came the clothing. It’s all too easy to find messages like “When I grow up I want to be a mermaid” or “Princess” – but what about an architect, or a doctor? Messaging on girls’ clothing needs to be directly challenged and that’s what they are doing with their Not Just A Princess (NJAP) merchandise. Jennifer aims to expand their range with more aspirational messages, characters, careers and symbols that challenge gender stereotyping.
 
Jennifer wants her daughter to know that when she grows up, her gender won’t impact her career choice. More importantly, She wants her to understand that she doesn't have to be ‘cute’ or ‘sweet’ – she can be brave and ambitious.
 
 
Not Just A Princess is about raising the profiles of women who are already #notjustaprincess - they are pilots, firefighters, surgeons and often mothers too. They hope that girls, boys, parents and society understand that there are plenty of alternatives to being a pretty pink princess.