Dear snakesoul!
Since I don't use an alternative tileset, I can't comment on the icons, so you may have to use the 'l'ook command and travel mode as the others have already stated.
In order to get metal armor and weapons, you may try the armor smith and weapon smith in the town. There should be one of each in about every town. However, it is not uncommon for one or both of them to have no goods for sale at all. My guess is that material availability may be a reason. If they have goods for sale, they are usually copper, sometimes iron. I am not sure, but I think silver weapons may also appear in the shops of weapon smiths.
Cloth imports are usually no good for metal armor, as they normally have only cloth and leather, as you have already noticed.
However, you should try general import. While many of them only have trinkets like amulets and figurines (which make for good foreign currency if you travel between realms), they also have armor and weapons. They definitely have copper and iron weapons and armor, as well as silver weapons, but you have to find the right store. I am not sure, but I think if you are really, really lucky, you might find a bronze item in one of them, but if it is possible, they are probably extremely rare.
Personally, I have been able to equip two adventurers completely in iron armor in a major trade town in my current world, and there are still more iron parts in the shops around. So, if you find the right town, you should probably have no problem with getting that equipment.
On the other hand, commenting on something mentioned in a previous post, I have not yet seen any crutches sold in stores in town... It seems as if they are even rarer than bronze equipment.
As for dwarven-sized equipment, I am not sure whether exports from player fortresses will be sold in human towns afterwards... I always wanted to check, but haven't come around to actually do so.
Yours,
Deathworks