I have an Arai and a Dainese because those two fit me best, but by far my favorite as per design is my Marushin which I got for $300 new, fits well, not as nicely as the dainese but well enough that I use it as my street helmet for everyday riding. Point is, you don't have to spend a lot. Almost any mainstream helmet will do the job, most important thing is to make sure it fits you snug, not too lose and not numbingly tight. make sure you've got good secure padding inside (make sure the padding is not poorly adhered) a good strap release is helpful, especially after you go down and need to get it off while you've still got that "don't wanna move" feeling coursing through you.
Go with what you can afford and what you like - no doubt, you're going to replace anyway, either because of a crash, because you got a new bike or because you found something else that you want.
I've got 5 helmets sitting around here ...
Boots are good to have definitely. I don't know about anyone else but my R6 gets really toasty in during the summer - if I'm wearing sneakers my feet roast; I know it seems contrary but the boots actually protect me from the heat. They're also good for high sides if you get thrown off ... nice to be able to walk away from such an event. In my opinion you don't have to get motorcycle boots though - day to day I wear regular street boots does the same job for me.
You'll be fine without them as well, sometimes I go out with just sneakers when I'm on a casual ride. As long as you're nimble, no worries. Just watch your feet while weaving through traffic
