In Classical Guitar playing, we hold the instrument in between the legs as opposed to on one leg as we would with a steel string Folk Guitar. For right-handed players, this means that the curve of the instrument’s body on the treble side rests on the left leg. In order to achieve proper hand-positioning, either the left leg must be elevated or the instrument itself must be elevated upon the left leg (or perhaps some combination of both).
This brings us to another essential category of guitar accessories: Classical Guitar Supports. There are a wide variety of products that help guitar players achieve this required elevation, but the one that is the most popular, dates further back in the history of the genre, and which happens to be the only real choice for younger players using fractional size instruments is the footrest (or footstool).
Like the foldable “wire” music stand, the footrest is one of those products that has been copied and reproduced by a wide variety of manufacturers. However, unlike the budget music stand, there seems to be very little risk to buying an “off brand.” This seems to be a fairly easy item to make well, so you can afford to be less discriminating in your purchase. I typically recommend the K&M 6-Position Footrest, but other brands seem to work just fine.
Another popular product for full size instruments is the Gitano. Of the supports that elevate the instrument instead of the leg, it is probably the smallest. This makes it more appealing than other similar products because of its ease of storage. Its suction cups may be harmful to some guitar finishes, but I’ve never had any problems with mine.
There are many other guitar support products on the market these days, but those two are probably the best. If you’re feeling adventurous, Strings By Mail has a “Best Guitar Support Guide” with lots of useful information. For beginners, I recommend buying a footrest first and then experimenting with other products once you’ve determined your commitment level to the instrument.