/cgl/ - Cosplay & EGL

I posted this before, but didn't get any replies. Here's hoping someone out there has some insight into my problem:

The bottom leg armor - the silver piece that goes around the shin and calf - how do I make it? I've made some armor before, but none that had to wrap all the way around without a space in the back.

Should I make it out of something hard, like plastic? Or just make it out of that silver PVC fabric? Either way, how and I going to get my foot through there without any opening/closure on the side or back, or the ankle part being too wide (to fit my heel through)?

I was planning on doing a hard thermoplastic for the upper leg armor and would like to use the same stuff, but not sure how.

I'm not sure how to make her lower leg armor. I've made shin armor before, but this goes all the way around the calf without any space in the back.

I wanted to make all the leg armor out of something hard, like a thermoplastic, but I don't know how to do that with the lower leg piece. Like how would I manage to slip it on past my heel and still be tight around the bottom? Would walking be too difficult with a hard piece encompassing my lower leg?

How do I make this chicks lower leg armor? I've made shin armor before but this armor goes all the way around the lower leg without a space in the back.

I wanted to make it with a hard material (like a thermoplastic) but I don't know how it will work 1) trying to slip it on past my heel or 2) walking with the natural contractions of the calf muscle.