What is the best brand for a beginner roller derby girl?

Really, it depends on how serious you are about continuing with it. Obviously, you don't want to spend a lot of money if you don't stick with it. A good, relatively cheap beginner set would be Riedell Carerra skates or R3s. http://www.sincityskates.com/skates.html A higher end skate would be the Riedell 265s. You'll also want new wheels--as a new skater, I'd recommend Flat-Outs. Helmet - just make sure you get a good skate helmet that fits snug. Pads are what you don't want to skimp on. Triple 8's are ok for beginners, but once you get serious, you'll want to upgrade to 187s. And don't forget a mouthguard! Most come with dental insurance, which is super.