Exhibit 99(a)(5)(viii)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 30, 2002

                      THE DRESS BARN, INC. ANNOUNCES FINAL
                     RESULTS OF ITS SUCCESSFUL TENDER OFFER

         Suffern, New York, October 30, 2002 -- The Dress Barn, Inc. (Nasdaq:
DBRN), one of the nation's leading specialty store chains offering value-priced
women's career and casual fashions, today announced the final results of its
successful modified Dutch Auction tender offer, which expired at 5:00 p.m.,
eastern time, on Friday, October 18, 2002.

         Based on the final count by the depositary for the tender offer,
9,215,309 shares of common stock were properly tendered and not withdrawn at a
price of $15.00 per share. Dress Barn will purchase 8,000,000 shares, resulting
in a proration factor of approximately 86% of the shares tendered, other than
"odd lot" shares properly tendered at the $15.00 purchase price which will be
purchased prior to proration.

         Any questions with regard to the tender offer may be directed to D. F.
King & Co., Inc., the Information Agent, at 800-431-9633. The Dealer Manager for
the tender offer was Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc.

         Statements herein which 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 may be described in Dress Barn's filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, including Dress Barn's Annual Report on Form
10-K for the fiscal year ended July 27, 2002. Dress Barn does not undertake to
publicly update or revise its forward-looking statements even if experience or
future changes make it clear that Dress Barn's projected results expressed or
implied therein will not be realized.