Generally form-fitting armor is a bad idea, especially for women. If your armor were to be dented, the armor may have managed to protect you from the blow that dented it, but now it is harming you with the dent since it is form-fitting. Medieval armor generally worked in layers - you'd have your mail shirt (optional) on the bottom, then your gambeson or arming coat, and then you'd attach a series of overlapping plates directly to the gambeson or arming coat via the use of several straps. Thus, you have plate armor. This way, if your plates are stronger as they are overlapping, and since the armor isn't acting as a second skin, if it is dented it won't be directly pushing into your body.

At least, that's how it was explained to me. Hope I helped.