Sigh. Everyone has been so helpful that now I'm confused :-). How would I go about finding a saddle that was a good fit for my anatomy? How would I be able to tell before I bought it?
Not sure if LBS let you "test drive" saddles on a trainer or not. Bakari had an article where he suggested measuring the distance between your "sit bones" (do this in private, not in the middle of the bike store!). The ideal saddle is slightly wider than that width.
Women's saddles tend to have a little "cut out" or divot in the saddle to avoid pressure on soft tissues.
Basically, you want as much of your weight on the bones - and only the bones - not pressing on all the tissues. Padded saddles and shorts spread out the load, which makes soreness worse. Eventually the nerves where the saddle rests get "tougher" and you can go longer. It took me about a month at each new distance.
Also, as you ride more, you instinctively learn when to "ride light" over bumps and such.