I have Pearl Izumi shorts - the mid-grade, not the PRO, but I can't remember what they are called - and they are SO comfy! I have 4 pairs now. I also have Performance's Century shorts and they are great for the price, but not nearly as nice as the PI. I have never needed chamois butter, but my husband like to use it.
I LOVE my Sidi shoes - I found one pair, new in box, on ebay for less than half of the retail cost - these are SPD Dominator mountain bike shoes, which I use with Performance's Forte Campus pedal that is platform on one side and clip-in on the other.
My other shoes are Sidi Genius. I pair these with Shimano 105 pedals. I got the Genius shoe after my first century left me with searing pain in the balls of my feet due to the small point of contact with the SPD shoe. I found after 50 miles of riding, my feet hurt so badly I could barely ride. Once I switched to true road shoes, the pain stopped.
Highly recommend ebay for all cycling gear - I have found brand new, with tags, Sidi shoes, Pearl Izumi Am-fib tights, and Primal jerseys all for less that in stores.