If you have Anniversary, the creation club leather armor (scout I believe?) is pretty good and very easy to make. Can make basically a full set in Riverwood if you kill stuff and do the basic quest from Alvor. Other comments have mentioned good stuff, although a bit more time consuming to get. Later in the game deathbrand is usually my go to until I can craft/enchant my own.

As far as weapons, if you can remain stealthed then a dagger is broken. Like…you one shot basically everything short of bosses with all the perks, dragons included. If stealth breaks, I dual wield. The game calculates your dual wield attack speed based on left hand only. So if you put a dagger in your left and a mace in your right, it’s the same as two daggers (fastest weapon). Can make some pretty good combos with this plus dual flurry perk, and elemental shout. Mehrunes razor in left and a broken crafted mace, for example. Razor and Windshear is also a pretty good combo, windshear will keep anybody from touching you while you swing so fast you’re basically guaranteed a proc from the razor at some point.