Ah, the drudgeries of shop-ping for denim. There are those who have a specific routine for jeans shopping, and those that simply pick a pair up, try them on and buy them. Jeans have become a staple clothing item for every wardrobe: There’s the pair you slip into everyday for work or school, the pair for special occasions and the pair parked in your closet waiting for a day when your behind doesn’t look like jelly.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: The age-old Western could very well have been talking about the jeans seen on the streets of Cairo (with minimal ‘good’). Finding the perfect pair of jeans here was once impossible, with tight-fitting, acid-washed jeans seeming to be the prevailing style since the 1980s. The problem is that acid-wash was in fashion circa 1982, too-tight jeans were never (and will never be) acceptable — unless you’re in a punk rock band — and baggy, falling-down jeans went out the minute rappers started wearing designer suits.

But the good news is there are styles that look good on anybody, fit a certain budget and aren’t that difficult to find. Stores here have stepped up, providing premium pants that look great and feel even better. Here’s our handy guide to some of your best options in Cairo:

Designer jeans usually aren’t a good idea. Dolce & Gabbana and Prada are great for pants, but their jeans usually only work if you are skinny, 6’1” and resemble a supermodel or a member of a boy band.

The good news is that Beymen has a range of men’s jeans from dedicated denim designers including the Citizens of Humanity, 7 For all Mankind and True Religion (the latter being only for the very fashion-forward). Currently, Beymen only offers the Billy line for men, which should be avoided at all costs, as the jeans are almost impossible to pull off.

Khaled Habib Check for button-fly and back pockets.

What every man should own are the gray 7 jeans — this color works well with casual and semi-formal attire, and these straight cut, medium-rise jeans work well with almost any body type. Another must-have is the Jagger by Citizens: a classic cut with a modern edge that also usually suits most body types.

For women though, the True Religion pocket works well in defining the derriere, and Beymen carries the new line of True Religion skinny jeans, which should be avoided if you are either on the larger side or the smaller side, as it will only enhance either flaw. If you have an abundant bottom, steer away from the True Religion line and opt for a Citizens style, the cut is both more flattering and aligns better with most bodies. The trick is to have fun and choose what looks good on you; the line is not limited and you will find a pair of jeans that suits you. Jeans range from LE 1,200 to 2,000, a little steep but worth the quality.

Beymen is also adding select American denim designer specialists in the next spring/summer line. The brand list is expanding to include Antik Denim, Rock and Republic, Diesel and women’s line Paige Premium Denim. Check out Beymen for the latest in couture denim.

Although both stores cater to the more fashion-forward, Ego is definitely becoming increasingly high-end. You’ll find that the styles are quite similar, but you won’t find the same brands.

For men: If you’re willing to wear jeans that have embroidery on the back pocket, be my guest, although it isn’t necessarily the most flattering or fashionable style out there. You will find plenty of that in both stores. Go for it — if you think you can pull it off.

At Zamalek’s Friction, you can find Replay, DKNY and Ben & Marshall. The DKNY line for men is decent; although the styles are limited, the choices are still good, ranging from flared to skinny jeans, which work well with thinner body types. For girls, the skinny jeans by Kapola are an excellent buy at LE 400–800, making sure all imperfections are nipped, tucked and sucked. Prices in general range from LE 800–2,000, which is the average you will pay for most jeans.

The trendier lines available at Beymen are also available at Ego in Heliopolis. You won’t find the same True Religion jeans — it doesn’t stock the Evan line (without the huge flap pocket) — instead it has the Billy Jeans line (with the massive pocket), which cannot make anyone look good. It also has a large range of lesser-known designers that you have to sift through to find anything good. Ego is the perfect place to go when you need a pair of jeans for a particularly wild night.

The good thing about CityStars is that it carries four premium denim specialists: Guess, Levi’s, Calvin Klein and Replay.

Guess is a bit on the flashier side for guys, and the classic style that has made the brand so popular over the years is not available. The trick with Guess: Spend enough time there and you’ll eventually find the jeans you’re looking for. Guess has a wide range of washes, but don’t be fooled by the brand’s heyday of the early ‘90s. Replay is the same, although not as well known as Guess; it seems to be catering to a flashier clientele, one that isn’t used to simplicity. The plus-side of both brands is that the fits and cuts are easy to find and you won’t find better boot-cut jeans in any other brand. Still, it’s best to avoid boots, thus avoiding boot-cut jeans.

Levi’s are the ultimate jeans, and (thankfully) the selection here isn’t bad at all. You will find a good pair of everyday jeans, with decent back pocket sizes, and a variety of rises and washes. The trick with Levi’s jeans is avoiding faded thighs and its line of distressed jeans. Go for the block dark denim, which is flattering and easy to match with most tops. Levi’s also doesn’t retail for the insane prices mentioned above, so if you can’t get over spending LE 1,500 on jeans, you can find jeans for LE 400–800 easily.

Another classic is the trustworthy Calvin Klein. Again, go for the classic jeans; Mr. Klein doesn’t do distressed well. Generally, when buying jeans, don’t go crazy with the distressed, torn and dirty looks; the fashion fades almost immediately, so invest in denim looks that will last. The straight-cut medium washes are good, but avoid the low rises and always remember to test out the ‘crack is whack’ principle when trying jeans. For a trusty pair of Calvins, you’ll be dishing out about LE 1,000–1,500.

Buy jeans one size smaller than your pants size. Jeans stretch with wear and since most of the brands mentioned above are American, they are always a tad larger than their European counterparts.

Crack is whack: This point cannot be stressed enough. Make sure nothing is spilling out.

Look at the pockets on the back and remember: Smaller pockets do not a small behind make (and neither do flaps). The smaller the pocket and the larger the flap, the more attention you’re drawing to your rear.

Always wash jeans in cold water and then put them in the dryer on high heat; this will shrink them and ensure that they go back to their original shape after each wear.

Buy button-fly jeans. This is the best way to figure out the rise of the jeans (count excluding the button that shows). For guys: Low-rise jeans usually have four buttons and medium-rise jeans have five. Never buy them with six buttons. For girls: low-rise is two buttons, three is medium and four is high. High-waist jeans are vogue again, but make sure you don’t end up buying mom-jeans.

Never, for any reason, buy tapered jeans. Never.