Hi, I’m Liz — founder of Armed & Gorgeous, and a firm believer that style should never have an expiration date.

I’ve spent over 40 years in the clothing and jewellery world, but my journey here wasn’t exactly traditional.

From Runaway to Designer

I left school early after being told I wouldn’t amount to anything.
Determined to prove them wrong, I hitchhiked across the country to Birmingham, spending every last penny to join a part-time jewellery design course. (Life’s funny — my teacher’s wife, Adele Taylor, is now one of our best-selling jewellers!)

Jewellery became my passion and my guide. I gravitated toward shamanic designs and, with enough savings, bought a one-way ticket to Asia. I spent years travelling the world on a shoestring budget, discovering beautiful cultures, craftsmanship, and jewellery traditions that would inspire me for a lifetime.

Finding My Spark Again

When I returned home, life wasn’t easy. After a devastating separation, I lost my business and home and found myself raising two young children alone.
I gave up on my jewellery dreams for a while, working part-time jobs just to get by.

Until one day, standing at my children’s Christmas fair, I watched a mother selling handcrafted jewellery — and something reignited inside me. I bought a jewellery-making kit, and soon enough, my children and I were sitting around the kitchen table, creating pieces late into the night.

I’ll never forget selling my first piece at a local fair. That tiny moment sparked the beginning of what would become Armed & Gorgeous.