When you get your mask in (if you haven't already) put it on your face without the strap over your head and breathe in through your nose to make sure it seals well. Make sure all hair is outside the skirt, especially around your forehead which is typically where it gets trapped. if you hear/feel any air coming into the mask when you breathe in through your nose, either you still have hair inside the skirt or the mask doesn't fit properly, in which case it could leak underwater. If you do find that it fits, try smiling, wrinkling your face, anything you can to try and get air into that mask while breathing in through your nose. If it doesn't when you do those things, then it should be a proper fit and will serve you well on your dives. Also, the strap doesn't need to be especially tight when you put it on your head. And it should rest on the crown of the back of your head; not down by your ears. It's basically meant as an additional means of security to keep the mask on your face. With the proper fit, the force of the water pressed against it during your dive will hold it in place, even with the strap not placed over your head.
As for fins, I've seen several people dive the Scubapro Seawing Novas and love them. A couple of my instructors actually dive them in bright orange for better visibility. I had a student (I'm a DM) in the last class I helped with that dives a purple pair and seemed to have no complaints about them. They don't look especially attractive to me in that they're pretty futuristic looking, which some people really like, but also because they don't appear that they would do well when practicing some of the more advanced finning techniques, like back finning or helicoptering, which both require more of a stiff sidewall. But from those people I've met that do dive them, they have no complaints about them. YMMV.
As has already been mentioned, snorkels are sort of personal preference, but they're a great thing to have for a couple of reasons. I should explain first that I do not personally dive a snorkel when I'm rec diving because I typically dive a full face mask (see my avatar) which doesn't allow for a snorkel. It does however have a surface air valve that I can spin open to breathe ambient air on the surface so I don't breathe down my tank when I'm not underwater. Just have to remember to close it at the start of the descent, which I have missed a time or 10. Not a huge deal since it only allows water in when I inhale and even then it only breathes a little wet until I decide to close the valve. That said, snorkels are great for saving your tank air on the surface during surface swims, etc. Say you're diving in the Caribbean and your're done with your dive floating on the surface waiting for the boat to pick you up. Rather than take your mask off and just breathe normally, use your snorkel and watch below or keep the waves from splashing water in your mouth while you wait. Of course that also means they give you the ability to still be in the water looking for critters, etc. during your surface intervals between dives. And worse come to worse if you really want to have fun, fill it up and use it to sling water at your significant other!
Lastly booties......definitely get a pair that zip. And if your'e diving cold water, high ankles are key. You want the ankles of your wetsuit rolled over the tops of the booties to help keep your feet warm and to keep that zipper from accidentally coming undone. Those that have the little heel nub to keep your fin straps in place are wonderful. I actually bought a new pair recently (two actually) for that reason alone. If you tend to be somewhat cold-natured and your'e going to be diving cold water, then maybe consider a pair of 7mm booties. Or if 5mm are your only option, or just really don't want to go thicker, you can always snag a pair of 2mm neoprene socks for additional warmth for about $20-$25 and they work wonders. As far as the soles, which ever ones you decide to go with, make certain they fit comfortably in the foot pockets of your fins. You don't want your feet to get uncomfortable because there's too much pressure on your instep from the booties being too snug in the foot pockets. So try both types with the fins you'll be using and see what feels better. It may be that you need to go a size up on fins to use hard sole booties.
Sorry for the long read....I sincerely hope it helps. I by no means have the experience some here at SB do and what I've posted is based on my own experiences so far. With gear it really is a "try it and see how it works for you" kinda thing. So do just that, especially when it comes to buying the rest of your kit. Rent several different brands/types of BC's to find one you like. If you can, try out a few different reg sets to see which ones breathe the best. Same with the rest of your kit....try out as many different options as you can and then buy what's comfortable and works well for the type of diving you'll be doing.
Edit: That's quite the offer listed above. I personally started with the same fins and they work well to start out with. Split fins are very easy to use and typically provide decent propulsion without a whole lot of effort. They don't have the power a good pair of blade fins have, but they don't require as much effort, either. Great for still water dives such as quarries/lakes. I gave my first pair to a dive operator in Cozumel a couple years ago but then won a brand new pair in a raffle during the Christmas holidays this past year. Not a bad thing to have in your gear bag.
