When I first got Skyrim, I was a Stormcloak sympathizer* so obviously I followed Ralof into the keep and ended up using my Stormcloak Cuirass (Light Armor) for quite a while (actually beat the MQ in it). I felt it was decent enough, and that no, I did not need a new form of armor.

From there on out, I always used Light Armor.

Until I decided I wanted to get Ebony Armor. So my next character wore Heavy Armor. Sure, better protection, but I felt the stamina ran out WAY to fast in heavy armor, not to mention the amount of weight it took up. Wearing Heavy Armor indeed made a difference... but only for the worse. I have since ditched Heavy Armor, and I will always prefer Light Armor.

At one point I did wear the novice robes you get in the torture chamber underneath Helgen. Other than role-playing purposes, I saw no reason to use it when I could use Light Armor, which didn't seem to be much of a difference.

*At first I preferred Stormcloaks. Ralof was friendly, and Ulfric seemed like a good man. Damn Imperials tried killing me... so of course I went with the Stormcloaks. But I later found out Ulfric was an ass.

Yes, this is how the game works, and differentiates between Heavy and Light.

Was there a question you had?

I started off using Light Armor then switched pretty quickly to Heavy and now I just alternate in between depending on my mood, but If I had to choose Light Armor is my favourite

Well in fact I love unarmored. Me and my brother have redguards warrior who wearing no armor, but they really are wicked. We even played it on Master level. I only wearing Hammerfell Grab, Alik'r Hood, and Redguard Boots as protection. Well, with help of Alteration of course.

Yeah you really only need about 300 AR on Adept by level 50, probably about 400 AR on Master level. So unarmored is perfectly fine as long as you're reasonably skilled.

I roleplay so the choice of armor is not mine, it is my characters' choice. Some of them wear Light Armor, some of them wear Heavy Armor and some of them wear no armor at all.