SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                                    FORM 8-K
              CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 or 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):               January 28, 2003


                              THE DRESS BARN, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


                                   Connecticut
                 (State or other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)



0-11736                                                        06-0812960
Commission File                                             (I.R.S. Employer
Number)                                                    Identification No.)



30 Dunnigan Drive, Suffern, New York                             10901
(Address of principal executive offices)                      (Zip Code)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code:         (845) 369-4500


                                 Not Applicable
          (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


     The information in this Current Report on Form 8-K is furnished pursuant to
Item 5 and shall not be deemed  "filed"  for the  purposes  of Section 18 of the
Securities  Exchange Act of 1934 or otherwise  subject to the liabilities  under
that Section.  Furthermore,  the  information in this Current Report on Form 8-K
shall not be deemed to be  incorporated  by  reference  into the  filings of The
Dress Barn Inc. under the Securities Act of 1933.






ITEM 5. OTHER EVENTS AND REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE


     On January 28, 2003, The Dress Barn Inc. ("the Company"),  through a wholly
owned  subsidiary,  completed  the  purchase of real estate  which  includes its
current corporate  headquarters and distribution  facility in Suffern,  New York
(the  "Suffern  facility")  for a  total  cost,  including  purchase  price  and
transaction  costs,  of  approximately  $45.5  million.  The Company  intends to
utilize  fixed rate  long-term  mortgage  financing for the major portion of the
acquisition  cost, with the remainder  financed  through the Company's  existing
cash.

     The Suffern  facility  consists of  approximately  65 acres of land, with a
current total of approximately  900,000 square feet of rentable distribution and
office space, the majority of which is occupied by the Company. The remainder of
the rentable  square  footage is 100% leased  through  2012.  In order to obtain
mortgage  financing  for the  facility,  the Company  will be required to sign a
long-term  lease at current rents,  with its  wholly-owned  subsidiary,  for the
office and distribution space it currently occupies corresponding to the term of
the related fixed-rate mortgage.




SIGNATURE



     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.





                             THE DRESS BARN INC.
                                (Registrant)


                             BY: /s/ ARMAND CORREIA
                             Armand Correia
                             Senior Vice President
                             (Principal Financial
                             and Accounting Officer)