Everybody's different, but I am one of those people who can't even ride 5 minutes without bike shorts. I've done it on short errand rides, but why be in pain when you don't have to be? I also tried a Brooks saddle and it was an instrument of torture for me. I know they are super popular, but I guess what I am trying to say is that all of this is really individual preference and depends on our anatomy. Luckily, some nice person on TE bought my Brooks saddle and I am happy with the Terry Falcon on both of my bikes.
Buying bike shorts is a process, and it's easy to forget that a thicker chamois does not necessarily mean better.
Try everything and compare.