It's easy to say "Go with full race gear", but not every ride is a knee-dragger. Most riders (myself included) actually ride to destinations, be it to a restaurant/bar, a bike meet, or even just wandering rides to a lot of places. All this entails walking, bringing comfort into the factor. I actually hate walking in my A-stars, not to mention looking like a space-man from the knee down. So, next best option....
Icon boots are inexpensive and offer protection. Not to mention you can wear them with jeans and not embarrass your girlfriend. You can also get a pair of A-Star riding shoes (not full boots) for about the same price. Need to decide what you like. My Icon boots are huge compared to other boots, and I bought them for winter riding. I want to try a pair of Diadora Express, but not sure of their quality, so won't order til I see a pair in person. I like the cut (like a race boot without the armor), and might give them a try now that "destination riding season" has come upon us.
Icon's other stuff? It offers some bling if you're into that. Not to mention comfort, another key if you're going to be off the bike a good bit. I still sport my old GSXR leather jacket I've had for years, so I can't vouch for Icon jackets. A few guys I ride with wear icon gear and love it, always bragging about how comfortable it is. I buy to protect myself, not to look cool. Hence my old thick, plain-jane suzuki jacket. Oh, not to mention that, for the price of an icon jacket, I camn buy a new leather suit......
Like I said before, I'm not afraid to order from them online, they are a good company (regardless of the arguable quality) and offer a consistent product.
Best company for street gear? I'll say A-Stars. If you can stand the graphics, Icon makes a decent product that caters to the bling crowd. But hey, it's like anything else, you get what you pay for. Most riders aren't going to blow major dollars on casual street gear. Save the real money to gear for those rides where you're going all out or know it's a day of riding, not just meandering from stop to stop.
Note: Under no circumstances would I recommend an icon helmet. They're absolute shit. Come off the hip and get a Shoei, Arai or Suomy. Only three I'd actually recommend.