But I’ve always felt most sets were designed for male characters and then re-shaped for females.
Something about these armor sets looks uninspired when worn by a woman – and considering how fond Nord women are of combat, that’s just unrealistic.
Female armor sets are among the most numerous mods available online. Still, it can be hard to sift through hundreds of bikini armors and skimpy attires that simply break your immersion.
To help you find high-quality armor sets and get back to gaming ASAP, I’ve compiled this list of excellent female armor mods for every playstyle.
I’m not a fan of how bulky the Elven armor set looks despite belonging in the Light Armor class.
I’m not saying everything has to be leather and cloth, but this is essentially full plate! I get that Moonstone is a premium lightweight material, but that still doesn’t look easy to move in.
Truly Light Elven Armor by modder Letstryagain offers an alternative & more form-fitting version of the Elven armor, with less cumbersome accessories for gals who need to be fast on their feet.
You can make your Skyrim armor more appealing by replacing your helmet with one of JohnSkyrim’s Armored Circlets.
These convenient accessories give your character all the strength of a helmet in a stylish circlet, keeping that face you spent so long working on visible without losing an equipment slot.
The modpack includes 9 different circlets matching vanilla armor sets like Elven or Daedric and providing the corresponding stats.
They’re all beautifully sculpted and feel like an organic addition to the game.
Zzjay has been making custom Skyrim outfits for almost 10 years, and their contributions remain some of the best options to clothe your female characters.
This mod includes four new gorgeous armor sets that fit Skyrim’s ambiance perfectly.
They’re chic and form-fitting, but they remain mostly realistic, without far-fetched styling decisions that might break your immersion.
The huntress and pirate sets are great for rogues, archers, and any lightweight fencer. The plate armor is also exquisite for a knight or a warring princess.
And these come in different colors to help you find something that reflects your character’s personality. Plus it’s also available for the CBBE body type.
Most female armor mods for Skyrim are polished and refined. They’re meant to highlight the wearer’s beauty while leaving behind any sort of practicality.
Creating that kind of armor would be shameful to any Orsimer blacksmith, as it strays too far away from the warrior-like Code of Malacath.
As such, orcish blacksmith Ghorza gra-Bagol from Markarth designed this new set of bad-ass and protective armor that’s easy to move in – just like the Orcs like it.
Who needs beauty when you have muscle and good orichalcum?
Vampires are mysterious creatures of the night that use their wiles and seductive aura to get closer to their prey – so it makes sense to turn the sexiness up a notch.
The Lustmord Vampire Armor by AmethystDeceiver is a Skyrim classic crafted in the strongest ebony and the finest leather for a sexy and bad-ass look worthy of a medieval dominatrix.
Maybe it’s a bit too finely crafted for your average cave-dwelling Morthal vampire, but it’s perfect for a wealthy bloodsucking noble from Solitude – or even a Cyrodiilic tourist looking to taste the local “cuisine.”
Men and women alike will bow before you – either in admiration, fear, or both.
Say what you will about realism, but I would have liked to see more significant variation between male and female armor in Skyrim.
Despite noticeable anatomic differences, I was disappointed that most armor sets looked almost the same in men and women. I disliked that my gender choice had little bearing on how my character looked.
The Girl’s Heavy Armors mod by Gigaduex brings remodeled female-only versions of every heavy armor set, including Iron, Steel, Orcish, Dwarven, Ebony, and more.
These retain the same basic style and color palettes as the vanilla armor sets, but it’s more form-fitting and takes cues from modern female streetwear such as skirts and thigh-high socks.
A similar design style applied to light armors can be found on Gigaduex’s Armor Sets.
The dominant pieces here seem to be modern-looking shorts and full bodysuits. These garments are great for rogues who need to sneak around comfortably without rattling up a storm.
Some of these pieces feature rich patterned fabrics worthy of a noble.
Just add a cape from Cloaks of Skyrim, and you’ll look like a Fire Emblem character about to lead their army in battle.
This one is obviously less than lore-friendly, but it’ll blend into Skyrim acceptably well.
Skyrim modding veterans will undoubtedly recognize creator DeserterX, famous for his extensive list of sexy female outfits and armors.
The Legendary Armors mod by Cp44 gathers 18 of his most popular sets into a single add-on so you can supercharge your female equipment variety.
You’ll find something for your character in Legendary Armors, whether you want to look like a glamorous vampire, a lethal assassin, or the sexiest Daedra warrior Tamriel has ever seen.
Despite Skyrim having a massive coastline and the Nords being inspired by Vikings, there isn’t much sea-related content in the vanilla game.
The Daughter of the Sea armor by DeserterX brings you an invaluable opportunity to become an exotic buccaneer just arriving in Skyrim from a long voyage in mysterious far-away lands.
This relatively sexy armor brings together boastful ornamentation and practicality like any fantasy pirate ought to. It features nice golden highlights and a badass flintlock pistol hanging from the hip.
Fans of CD Projekt RED’s The Witcher series will love this form-fitting Witcher-inspired armor by DeserterX.
This Ebony light armor is designed to strike fear in your target through your intimidating looks and sheer firepower. Not only do you get two decorative witcher swords, but a giant crossbow and enough bolts hanging from your thighs to clear an entire bandit camp.
I mean just look at it: the plentiful leather, almost exclusively black color, and skull-themed patterns give this look a somber and edgy vibe perfect for a vampire hunter or similar character.
If you want some heavy armor that’ll offer real protection from the elements and your enemies’ blades, trying out DeserterX’s Dark Knight armor is a no-brainer.
Crafted in polished Ebony, this plate armor has an elegant design suggesting the wearer is a member of some noble house or the Champion of a powerful religious organization. The coat of arms on the absolutely bad-ass shield and the large star-shaped necklace emphasize this aesthetic.
While the templar-looking helmet is one of the armor’s most distinctive features, the mod includes earrings with matching stats for those who prefer exposing their character’s face.
The life of an adventurer is full of twists and turns, making it very difficult to pack the right outfits for every occasion.
If you don’t want to walk around town in a full suit of Daedric armor, perhaps something like BloodFree’s Crimson Twilight armor might be better.
Designed for rogues and melee fighters who need to stay quick on their feet, this badass armor combines elements of everyday wear (like corsets and fashionable leather boots) with form-fitting scaled armor.
The result is stylish and bold armor that offers good protection in a dungeon and looks appropriate in an inn or the Jarl’s longhouse.
BloodFree’s Scarlet Dawn Armor is another fantastic choice if you like the bold colors and roguish style.
You can think of it as a minimal, less armored version of the Crimson Twilight armor. The change makes it a lot less formal, tilting the scale from edgy hero to guaranteed pirate or Thieves Guild member.
It’s a more relaxed fit that’s probably comfortable and won’t look out of place in any social situation.
Playing an assassin in Skyrim is challenging in the fashion department.
Most “cool” armor sets are too heavy for a rogue, and everything the Dark Brotherhood offers makes me cringe.
This Black Sacrament Armor by AmethystDeceiver is just the badass equipment you need to give your servant of death some dignity.
The mod also gives you some customization options, too. You can choose between an amulet or a pendant, boots or gaiters, and whether you want to wear the cowl and facemask or not.
It also comes in several colors and leather textures that make it remarkably versatile.
Nothing stops a warrior woman from keeping up with the latest fashion trends.
The Northgirl Armor set by Anka01 adds a modern edge to Skyrim’s rough aesthetic of leather, fur, and steel. The result is a sleek ‘fit I can only describe as “Nord chic.”
Admittedly, it doesn’t look like it offers much protection in its base form, but there are many retextures for you to try – including one that replaces the knit sweater with chain mail.
With so many color combinations, you can make this work for numerous characters.
Archers of Skyrim should keep an eye out for Alecu’s Ranger Armor if they want to look the part of an outdoorsy hunter with a sleek fashion sense.
This modded armor is a form-fitting leather outfit designed to hug the body as tight as possible with adjustable belts and strings.
The intent is to help the wearer look sleek and stay protected with hard leather that won’t impair their movement and get in the way of wielding a bow or crossbow.
It’s available in several colors, including black, red, burgundy, green, and even a purple/pink combination that suggests an alliance with Daedric prince Vaermina.
A fantastic one-stop solution to your female equipment woes might be The Book of UUNP – a massive armor pack by modder Gamefever.
The idea behind this mod is to fix one of the glaring inconsistencies in Skyrim: mass-produced armor.
How can every blacksmith craft exact copies of the same armor? It’s insane.
The Book of UUNP features over 325 chest pieces and over 500 individual items. You’ll never run out of new things to try – and it’s fully integrated into the game, meaning NPCs will wear them too.
There’s something for every style, so check this out.
Vampires are a perfect combination of power and seduction.
They can subjugate humans with their looks, physical strength, or blood magic.
Another Vampire Leather Armor perfectly reflects this with an armor that is bad-ass and sexy.
Unlike many other armors, which mistake sexiness for skimpiness, RavenDier’s AVLA is the real deal. It only shows a little skin, but it goes a long way toward making your character look irresistible, and it doesn’t take away from the “bad-ass vampire general” aesthetic.
Tip: If you’re using the CBBE body type, you’ll find a compatible version here.
A great prophesied hero like the Dragonborn shouldn’t have to walk around in tattered clothes they found in a Draugr-infested ruin.
Suppose someone in Skyrim had been paying attention to the signs that Alduin was incoming. In that case, they’d have prepared something like the Sovereign’s Slayer Armor to help the Dovahkiin in their difficult mission.
This is the armor of a champion of justice and civilization.
It’s richly ornamented and polished to a mirror sheen, and it’s one of the most protective-looking sets of armor we’ve seen so far.
The armor also comes in several colors to match your specific Dragonborn’s preferences, and includes a massive axe to help you decapitate dragons.
Fans of HBO’s adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s A Tale of Ice and Fire – also known as Game of Thrones – should quickly recognize the custom-made armor worn by Arya Stark in the last few episodes of the series.
What I like so much about this armor set by MacGrioghair is the creative, asymmetrical design.
A roguish warrior might appreciate how one side protects them from the cold and conceals their weapons while the other frees their main hand and provides easy access to their hidden blades.
If it worked against the Night King, it’ll work against anyone.
I’ve always believed that magic practitioners in Skyrim would naturally become low-profile roguish types due to the generalized fear and distrust of magic that grips most of the Nord population.
And this Hedge Mage Armor by Elleh is perfect for just such a character.
It provides the practicality needed to survive in the wilds and more protection against the elements than a simple robe.
It’s also easier to move in and won’t immediately give away your identity as a sorceress.
The set even comes in several attractive colors like red, blue, and green. Pick whichever fits your chosen magic school the best!
Another excellent mod for outfitting mages or lightweight fencers and rangers is Triss Armor Retextured by ChronoTrigger77.
This makes Triss Merigold’s vibrant outfit from The Witcher 3 versatile, thanks to eight new alternate color palettes.
You get black and brown for assassins, green for rangers, or tan for mercenaries – and that’s less than half the options. You can also mix and match all-new styles.
The mod streamlines replacing Dark Brotherhood, Thieves Guild, Nightingale and Arch-Mage equips with these attractive sets.
Nelson Chitty is a Venezuelan expat living in Argentina. He’s a writer and translator passionate about history and foreign cultures. His ideal weekend is spent between leisurely playing games of Civilization VI and looking for the next seinen anime to marathon.
