8-K

                       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):   February 11, 2004


                              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)

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

Item 5.   OTHER EVENTS AND REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE

     On February 11, 2004,  The Dress Barn Inc. (the  "Company")  issued a press
release  announcing that the Board of Directors elected Marc Lasry to serve as a
director of the  Company.  A copy of this press  release is  attached  hereto as
Exhibit 99.1.



Item 7.   EXHIBITS

99.1    Press Release issued February 11, 2004




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)


Date: February 11, 2004                    BY: /S/ ARMAND CORREIA
                                               Armand Correia
                                               Senior Vice President
                                               (Principal Financial
                                               and Accounting Officer)




                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit Number   Description
- --------------   --------------------------------------------------------
99.1             Press Release, issued February 11, 2004
                 "The Dress Barn, Inc. Announces Election of New Board Member"
                  (filed with this Current Report on Form 8-K)

EX-99

EX-99.1 PRESS RELEASE, ISSUED FEBRUARY 11, 2004. "THE DRESS BARN, INC. ANNOUNCES
ELECTION OF NEW BOARD MEMBER"


 www.dressbarn.com

                              NEWS RELEASE


CONTACT: ARMAND CORREIA
         SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT & CFO
         (845) 369-4600

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FEBRUARY 11, 2004

           THE DRESS BARN, INC. ANNOUNCES ELECTION OF NEW BOARD MEMBER

     SUFFERN, NY - FEBRUARY 11, 2004 - The Dress Barn, Inc. (NASDAQ - DBRN), one
of the nation's leading women's specialty  retailers offering quality career and
casual  fashion  apparel at value prices,  today  announced the election of Marc
Lasry as a new member of its Board of Directors.

     Mr. Lasry is one of the pioneers of the distressed securities market, which
has been the exclusive  focus of his  professional  career.  He is a Founder and
Managing  Partner of Avenue Capital Group, a distressed fund manager with assets
totaling over $5 billion.

     He  is  also  the  Founder  of  Amroc,   one  of  the  largest   distressed
broker/dealers.  Prior to operating Amroc as an independent entity, he and Amroc
were  affiliated  with Acadia  Partners  L.P., an investment  partnership  whose
general partners include Keystone, Inc. (an investment partnership firm that was
affiliated with the Robert M. Bass Group),  American  Express  Company,  and the
Equitable  Life  Assurance  Society of  America.  From 1988 to 1990,  he managed
capital for Amroc Investments L.P. in excess of $100 million.

     Mr. Lasry  previously  was  Co-Director  of the  Bankruptcy  and  Corporate
Reorganization  Department at Cowen & Company.  Prior to that time, he served as
Director of the Private Debt  Department at Smith Vasiliou  Management  Company.
Previously, he specialized in bankruptcy law at the New York law firm of Angel &
Frankel.

     He holds a B.A. in History from Clark  University  and a J.D. from New York
Law School.

     Elliot S.  Jaffe,  Chairman  of the Board  commented,  "We are  pleased  to
welcome Marc Lasry to our Board of Directors.  Marc is a seasoned executive with
an extensive  financial and legal background.  We look forward to his advice and
counsel as a member of our Board of Directors."

     As of January 24, 2004 the Company operated 774 stores in 45 states.