Denim Bar

Denim Bar, the name says it all. I bought my first pair of raw denim here and that’s where it all began. Ever since I’ve step foot in here, the service has been great and they treated me like a friend. I highly recommend this place for those who are into raw denim as well as boots and accessories that will create the style you seek. The staff here will help you take good care of your denim from top to bottom, I guarantee.
If you’re looking for a clean sharp style, Denim Bar is the spot.

This place apparently closed. I stopped by the other week to find a locked, empty store. Oh well, I guess I’ll be getting my raw denim elsewhere now!

Fellow Denim/​jeans lovers!
I used to be in love with this store and spend thousands of dollars there at a time, and always brought every guest of mine that came from Jamaica to shop there to fulfill there denim needs. HOWEVER I will no longer visit or recommend this store!
I bought a pair of Jeans there last year (1 of 4 at the time) which was 150 $ in value, I barely wore them and they turned out to have an defect or tear (not fixable). So I visited DB, and NOT only did the person that spoke to me, even look up to see I was loyal customer, but she was so rude telling me denim has these issues and I must go directly to the brand, there was no offer to help to figure out how to make me happy or any such thing. SHE WAS RUDE AND DISGUSTING. I did not expect a refund but some sort of help with a solution was what I expected especially as this is a brand you carry and sell your self as the denim solution.
I will never go back, I will never recommend anyone to this place. Retail is bout costumer service not costumer berating!
Ciao

I went to the Denim Bar for the first time back in 2010. It was an amazing experience. After having my second child, I was looking for some nice jeans and willing to spend the money for them. I must have tried on at least 20 pairs and settled on 2. The staff was amazing, offering me more jeans/​brands to try on as well as a glass of wine. I loved it! The two pairs I bought that day have lasted me until recently and I returned to replace them.
This time, the selection was incredibly limited. There was a single pair of jeans above a size 28. There seemed to be a larger selection in the men’s section, but even that was radically smaller than what I had remembered. The guy working was very nice and helpful, but I left empty handed. Guess I’ll have to go somewhere else.

Not only can you not refund your purchase here, they have a seven day only exchange policy. This may not be an issue if they had any female selection to exchange for… you are stuck with your purchase. Terrible place to do business with… especially during the holidays were exchanges are prevalent.

I was hoping to find a nice pair of jeans (my husband was letting me pick a Christmas gift for myself), and I’ve purchased some great jeans from this store before. This time, I felt so unwelcome, neither myself nor my husband will return again. When we walked in the store, it was empty, and the sales associate was in the back. When she came out, she asked if I needed help, and I explained that I was looking for a pair of jeans, preferably slim/​boot cut, dark wash in a size 8. She proceeded to tell me that the store is phasing-​out women’s clothing (although there’s still a display in the window), and that they don’t have anything in boot cut over size 26. Okay, that’s fine, I offered to try another fit, so she grabbed a size 30 of the worst fitting jeans I’ve ever worn (I believe they were supposed to be skinny jeans, but as she just handed them to me with no explanation, I can’t be sure). She didn’t check on me while I was in the fitting room, or ask how it went when I came out, but she did say «I’ll take them.» when I walked to the front of the store. Sorry to put you out — it won’t happen again.

Came in to look at Shinola watches and clerk could not be bothered to assist despite no one else being in the store. So we left.

I wouldnt know… the store was closed for two days with the lights off and a sign that said «Will return at 11am»…

Edit: the owner of denim bar reached out to me after this review. I appreciated her response greatly and she stated that they are working to address this issue
Upon entering I received neither a friendly greeting or an offer for assistance. When I asked questions the lady working seemed bothered and annoyed. She spent most of the time behind the counter on the computer. When my boyfriend was looking for sizes on the shelf — she said (from behind the desk no less), «if you’re doing what I think you’re doing– you need to size down». I literally was shocked. When selling luxury designer items I expected much more, especially when we have both been happy customers previously. I wrote an email to the company expressing my complaint and received no response.

My husband and I came to check this store out while on our way to the Pentagon City mall. The words ‘denim bar’ made me want to check out what kind of jeans they had available and I was also curious to see what the store was about. The boutique itself had limited selection in outerwear and shirts, more men’s than women’s. They carry brands such as 3sixteen, Alden, A.P.C. Baracuta, Gitman Vintage, Naked & Famous, etc. I was surprised at one of the tables set up at the front where there were stacks of folded jeans, all going for $ 50. Yes, $ 50 for True Religion, 7 For All Mankind, and Citizens of Humanity! Sizes were a variety, and different shapes and shades were there. The SA in there was pretty quiet, but lets you peruse at your own leisure.

I think this place must be going out of business and probably for all the right reasons — their selection is bad, their prices are high, their return policy is awful and their service is just shocking.
Shame on me for not reviewing their return policy before I overpaid for two pairs of jeans but when I changed my mind two days later (found something different somewhere else I liked better) and came back with the receipt, I was told by the surley, uninterested person behind the counter that it was store credit only. Now, these are jeans that are available NEXT DOOR at Nordstrom, a company famous for its service quality. So now I’m stuck with $ 400 of store credit that I really don’t want so I gave it to my sister and her husband for Christmas — when we went back, the self-​identified manager who was the only employee in the totally empty store could not have been less interested in helping us. When we asked questions, she gave curt, one-​word answers and walked away; she repetedly talked on the phone; my BIL was told that the store had only one pair of mens jeans larger than a 36 (he’s a 38) — another customer came in asking for anything other than skinny jeans and was told the store didn’t have anything.
I’m not young, I do a lot of shopping and I’ve worked in retail and this is probably the worst retail experience of my life. Stay away!

Pathetic service. Shocked that this place is even in business. Add to that… Poor selection, sizes. Seriously don’t waste your time unless your looking to feel insulted.

I was anxious to visit Denim Bar with my mom over the holidays as she had read a great review and wanted to check it out. My mom and I are both lovers of designer jeans, and had high expectations for Denim Bar.
Much to my dismay, when we visited Denim Bar the day after Christmas, we were very disappointed for three reasons: very low stock on most sizes, limited selection of designers, and the salesperson was very unfriendly. There were a few designer brands available for women (perhaps 4 tops), and the only sizes available were mostly size 25 or 26. The reason I love designer jeans so much is because of the perfect way that they fit my curves and don’t bunch in the back. As a size 27/​28, I had a very difficult time finding any jeans in my size.
The salesperson was very unfriendly and unpersonable to myself and my mom. She seemed unhappy to be working, and remained on the computer behind the counter for most of our visit (approximately 15 minutes).
I really wanted to like Denim Bar, but I am incredibly unimpressed. I have been to plenty of stores that sell designer jeans that have a variety of brands and sizes. I will not be returning to Denim Bar and will not recommend this store to my friends. If you’re looking for designer jeans in the D.C. area, your best bet is Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, or the specialty jean shops in Tysons.

Every day mid-​rise boot cut jeans: $ 168
Hemming: $ 20
A glass of wine while shopping: free
An attentive sales associate who’s honest about what does and doesn’t look good on you: free
Ending up with a pair of well-​made jeans that are flattering, comfortable, and make you feel like the hottest girl in the world: priceless

OK, let me preface this by saying that I don’t wear jeans. I hate jeans. Put me in a pair of jeans, give me bright makeup, and I look like Mrs. Potato Head. That’s what happens when your waist is bigger than your hips and you have skinny legs.
My dear longsuffering friend and I spent nine hours at Pentagon City last weekend recovering from hangovers and trying to get me a pair of pants since my only pair of «jeans» — really just Forever 21 stretchy denim-​ish material — were falling apart. She suggested Denim Bar and I flat-​out refused. It wasn’t the money (desperate times, desperate measures + student loan refund = no budget), but the hatred I have for trying on clothes, especially in snotty little boutique-​y stores.
After bitching for a while, I agreed to see what they had. I walked in with a chip on my shoulder and flat-​out told the salesman that he couldn’t help me and had nothing that would fit me. He laughed at me, threw me a few pair and ordered me into the fitting room.
My friend and I were the only customers in there at the time which could explain why we had such great service, but this guy was seriously awesome. We BS’d about clothes, local bars, life in general (oh, and he was cute too). I tried on about ten pairs and finally settled on a pair of Nudie Grim Tim’s. They were only $ 125 plus hemming, which from what i understand, is a great price for Nudies. (As a side note, DB was having a big sale at the time and my friend found a pair of something-​or-​others for only $ 40!) Oh, for the record, I’m a size 14, and they had several pair that fit me — so don’t be scared on that front either.
I picked up my jeans yesterday (the original hem job was perfect, by the way) and wow. These might be the best investment I’ve ever made. I’m 25 years old and I finally found jeans that look great and feel great. Do you understand what a big deal this is?
I will definitely go back to this place. I saw some bad reviews about the service, but I have no complaints. I don’t remember the name of the guy who helped us (tall, dark hair, nose ring), but he was really friendly and recognized me when I came back a week later to pick up my jeans. I worked in retail for years, so I do try to give salespeople some grace in reviews, but I actually liked this guy a lot.
Highly recommend, especially if you normally can’t find jeans that look good.

So I came here looking for raw Japanese denim — namely Skulls by an Alchemist and Samurai, and they didn’t have what I was looking for. But it’s not a surprise, as it’s a niche market especially for women.
I’ve been here 3 times during business travel in D.C., and Christian (the staff) has always recognized me — he says because I’m the only girl who has ever walked in asking for raw denim. Even though they don’t carry exactly what I was looking for, he was very helpful in showing me what raw denim options they do have (Kicking Mule Workshop, APC, etc.).
I try a bunch on every time I go, and can never really find something I like, but he’s been helpful regardless of the number of jeans he needs to put away after I’ve visited. Also offered me water on a hot, humid day in D.C.
Not what I’m looking for, but +5 stars for carrying some obscure brand names! (KMW Rockers were really nice but didn’t fit my curvy figure well…)
Notes: They do carry Slings&Stones for women, but there was a limited selection. They don’t carry Nudies Slim Kim — but apparently Self Edge in SF is the only store in the U.S. that you can get them from now.

These guys mean business. No detail too minor, no brand too obscure. Here jeans are not divided by words like boot, straight, or loose. But by body type, wash, material, and technical jargon like «sanforized». Do you like your jeans fitted and dark or hanging and dirty? Too long? Denim Bar has exceptional tailors who will hem and alter to your exact specification. They even supply heels for the ladies to help them find the right inseam. Most brands are neatly folded on the shelves while exclusive, limited run jeans are hidden behind the bar to be revealed by customer request only.
Gilded Age, PRPS, Nudie, Helmut Lang, are among the designers that that grace the dark wooden shelves of The Denim Bar. 7 for all Mankind? Rock & Republic? True Religion? There is a Nordstrom across the street that would be more than happy to help you in your search for more mainstream brands. To complement the jeans, a limited collection of well-​edited apparel is sold here as well. Quality comes at a price; most jeans fall between $ 200-​$ 350, while some limited edition pieces can run over $ 600. However, you most certainly get what you pay for, every jean is carefully selected for quality and fit and will last for years to come. If you feel priced out, The Denim Bar will occasionally have some unbelieveable sales, I have seen $ 330 jeans for $ 59 and 75% of apparel before.
The staff is relaxed and helpful, they treat the store as a hangout and you as a guest rather than a customer. If you look at a pair of jeans, the staff descibes its every detail and nuance; as if they were a friend showing of the latest addition to their closet. And just like a friend, they’ll even hand you a beer while you shop.

So a typical jeans shopping experience for me ends up me grabbing a handful of various sizes washes and cuts, going into a fitting room and after my well-​meaning friend gives comments on the first two pairs (all positive, of course), I either a) feel guilty for making her wait in the fitting room while I take my sweet ass time trying on twenty pairs, b) get frustrated since jeans don’t typical fit my tall frame, wide hips, thinnish legs deal, or c) by the time I figure out which cut, size, length, wash combination I want, I’m too beat to actually go and scour the store myself and end up buying whichever halfway decent pair I kinda liked when I tried on (I think I remember which one it is…) I ended up paying on average $ 50 for said jeans, but once I got home and wore them my first time, I would just look at the improper fit and want to cry.
Ah! Those days are over!
So, I made my way into Denim Bar on a Wednesday at about 3 PM which was PERFECT. The store was completely empty and I got full attention of one staff member. However, this can be a downside if you are not absolutely sure you want to buy a pair since I would probably feel guilty about making an employee wait on me for a half hour and then have to take care of the ten pairs of jeans in my dressing room without me handing over a dime. But, I needed a new pair desperately and desperately need attention so it worked out well for me.
The woman/​girl (?) helping me was really helpful. She wasn’t overly nice or talkative, but I was there to buy jeans, not to make a new friend. She had a lot of suggestions, kept on bringing over pairs and listened to what I said and never pressured me. While the pricetag was higher than I would like to normally spend (~$ 200 when hemming was included), I know I will have a pair of jeans I will absolutely love and not immediately regret purchasing.
They also gave me a $ 25 off coupon for my next purchase which had no expiration date. I thought this was great since I’m obviously not going to be buying a new pair of jeans from here next month but love the incentive to come in again.
My only complaint is the lighting in the fitting rooms was really really unflattering. While I absolutely HATE places that alter their mirrors to make you look thinner (Urban Outfitters, I’m talking to you), this light from above made me kinda distracted and I found myself at times examining shadows on my face instead of admiring how awesome the jeans looked. No biggie, just want to put that out there.

My roommate needed new jeans. I used this as an opportunity to steer her away from cheaper jeans that were great for short term happiness and cash supply, but ultimately fall apart and force you to go jean shopping again. Jean shopping isn’t that fun. I told her it’s worth paying the higher price in the long run and she agreed to merely «see what Denim Bar has.»
After a quick call to Laura T. for its exact location we set off and quickly found a clean store with friendly staff. He was very nice and helpful and just grabbed Emily a bunch of jeans to try on that fell into her description of dark, but not too dark, straight (not skinny!) legged jeans. We found the perfect pair and she caved and bought them.
They needed to be hemmed and Denim Bar provided shoes for patrons to try on to determine where the hem should be. This is probably great if you are normal foot size, but I could see myself looking like an ugly step sister trying to squeeze on Cinderella’s glass slipper. Moral of the story, if you want your jeans hemmed here but have feet that look more like skis, just wear the shoes to the store that you want to wear with the jeans!
Hemming costs $ 17 and takes less than a week to be completed. Definitely worth it! I was surprised at the courtesy of the staff especially after hearing about Laura T.‘s experience. Maybe the owner whipped them into shape or perhaps I just got different people? Either way, I will definitely be coming back when my jeans end up dying… Denim Bar made jean shopping much easier and less stressful which is practically a miracle.

I’m not sure what to do here so I’m giving Denim Bar a 2.5.
Mary Alexandre, the store’s owner, was kind enough to let me know that she is aware of the problem with the store’s staff and will be working on improving the situation. I respect the fact that she monitors Unilocal reviews and pays attention to her customers’ experiences. It was really the store employees that made shopping there so unpleasant, so any improvement in that area would make the store totally okay.
However, I feel slightly uncomfortable with lifting the rating too much until I actually revisit the Denim Bar again.
I should disclose the fact that Mary offered me a $ 25 discount on my next purchase which, I have to admit, is going to positively influence my likelihood of returning to the store. I wasn’t planning on ever going back, but I guess I’ll give it another shot the next time I’m in need of a pair of jeans.