EXHIBIT 99.1

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

         FINANCIAL DYNAMICS
         INVESTORS: CARA O'BRIEN/MELISSA MYRON
         MEDIA: MELISSA MERRILL
         (212) 850-5600

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                    DRESS BARN COMPLETES MAURICES ACQUISITION
                ~ Combined Company to Operate over 1,200 Stores ~
                 ~ Total Annual Revenue to Exceed $1.1 Billion ~

SUFFERN, NY - JANUARY 3, 2005 - The Dress Barn, Inc. (NASDAQ:  DBRN), one of the
nation's leading women's specialty  retailers,  announced today it has completed
the acquisition of Maurices  Incorporated.  The combined  businesses will form a
leading  national  retailer  with an enhanced  national  footprint,  an expanded
market presence, and a significantly increased revenue base.

Under the terms of the agreement, originally announced on November 17, 2004, the
purchase price was $320 million, subject to adjustment,  which was financed with
amounts  drawn under a new credit  facility and cash on hand,  including the net
proceeds from the previously announced sale on December 16, 2004 of $115 million
principal amount of Dress Barn's 2.50% convertible senior notes due 2024.

David R. Jaffe, Dress Barn's President and Chief Executive  Officer,  commented,
"The  acquisition  of Maurices  provides us with an  established  and successful
retail concept and an important vehicle to accelerate growth. We look forward to
working  with  Maurices'  seasoned  management  team  to  continue  the  chain's
expansion as well as leverage our combined  expertise to generate synergies that
will benefit both businesses over the long-term."

Maurices, which will operate as a separate division of Dress Barn, has created a
unique retail  concept that serves the needs of fashion  conscious  consumers in
small  towns.  Maurices  fills the  fashion  void that  exists in these areas by
offering  stylish,  quality clothing at prices below the larger market specialty
store  competitors.  Maurices  recorded  sales of $366 million for the 12 months
ended August 28, 2004 and currently has 477 stores in 39 states.







About The Dress Barn, Inc.
The Dress  Barn,  Inc.,  headquartered  in Suffern,  NY, is one of the  nation's
leading women's specialty  retailers  offering quality career and casual fashion
apparel at value  prices.  As of December  31,  2004,  the Company  operated 776
stores in 45 states.  For more  information  on the  Company,  please  visit the
corporate website at www.dressbarn.com.


Statements and comments  contained in this press release that are not historical
in nature are  "forward-looking  statements"  within the  meaning of the Private
Securities  Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such  forward-looking  statements are
subject to certain risks and  uncertainties  that could cause actual  results to
differ materially. Such factors as they relate to Dress Barn's operations may be
described in Dress Barn's filings with the  Securities and Exchange  Commission,
including  the Dress Barn's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
July 31, 2004. Such factors as they relate to Maurices  include risks applicable
to the retail  apparel  business in general and risks which may be  specifically
applicable to Maurices' business.  In addition,  there are risks associated with
the integration of the two businesses. Dress Barn does not undertake to publicly
update or revise its  forward-looking  statements  even if  experience or future
changes make it clear that the projected  results  expressed or implied  therein
will not be realized.