I would recommend having an experienced friend help out, but make sure they help you buy the guitar that fits you, not the one that fits them. I would also recommend buying used. You can a) get more guitar for your money and b) if it doesn't work out, then you can resell the guitar at little or no loss to you. And some times, the used guitar has already been set up, so you avoid the extra cost.
As others have said, pay attention to the size of the guitar and if it looks pretty and costs less than $500, chances are good that the guitar isn't worth buying.