I prefer third person for everything, the only time that I go into first person is when I am in combat, or trying to be 'sneakeh sneakeh'. I enjoy having the ability to view what my character looks like, and of course this is only my personal preference, third person makes everything look much better.
As for my character... I currently play a stealthy, thief/assassin Khajiit. I use Nightingale Armor for the boosts it gives and because it looks epic. (In my opinion.) I am only a level 18, I believe, and I use the Nightingale Bow as my primary weapon. When I am sneaking up behind someone and going for the stealthy throat slice, I use an ebony dagger.
This was probably longer than it was supposed to be, but eh..