Eastern Confederate

The whole feel of this place is spot on, and most importantly if you can describe it, they can do it. The haircuts you can get here will look as good in a month as the day you get them. I’ve tried a lot of places in DC, and this is the one I now come back to religiously.

I have always gotten very stressed out about hair appointments. When I moved to DC 3 years ago I had a few mishaps with some other salons before a friend recommended Ryan at Eastern Confederate.
I started seeing him with very long hair and bangs then he helped me transition out of the bangs and eventually to a very short (think Clair Underwood style) haircut. Ryan has always done a phenomenal job and I can’t say enough nice things. Since cutting my hair short I’ve had a lot of people ask me who does my hair and I point them all in his direction! (This probably doesn’t help his availability– make sure you call a few weeks before you need an appointment!)
The salon vibe is relaxed– you can have a PBR on the house while you wait and everyone is always so nice.

Liz is great! I have curly/​wavy hair and some cuts I’ve had in the past have been a total flop, but never with her! My hair always looks great and the prices are super reasonable. Check this place out!

My girlfriend is new to DC, and we were recommended to this shop. We decided to give it a shot because it’s only a few blocks from our apartment.
5 star rating for Meg, and 5 stars for the atmosphere and décor!

My partner and I got amazing haircuts from Meg and Liz. I asked Meg for something short and easy to care for and ended up with a very stylish haircut that also looks great when it’s a mess and won’t need to be cut soon. My boyfriend also had a very specific cut in mind with his curly hair and he looks extra handsome after Liz’s cut.
On top of all that, I’m currently disabled and the staff did everything they could to accommodate me when I let them know in advance (eg, spray washing with dry shampoo rather that a wash at the sink, letting me stand and take breaks as needed). They made me feel welcome and I walked out feeling better and more beautiful than I have since I was injured. I can’t say enough good things.

Can’t say enough good about Eastern Confederate! Besides being the most affordable place I’ve found in a couple years of living in DC, the color/​toner Liz did is exactly what I was looking for but hadn’t previously been able to articulate. It’s a low key/​laid back vibe– it’s enjoyable to hang out while having your hair done.

After trying six other stylists in the city over the course of 3 years, I stumbled across Eastern Confederate while looking for a salon near my apartment. I’ve had my hair cut by Ryan twice now and both times have been thrilled with the results. I have fine, soft hair that gets split ends easily and never seems to style consistently. Not only did he give me the exact cut I want, but he cut it so while it grew, it maintained shape and was easy to style. The salon’s vibe is very chill and while I’m not a PBR fan, it’s nice that they throw in a drink with the cost of a cut (which is insanely affordable!).

This review is for Kate:
To me, a five star hair cut can be achieved in either of two ways: 1) I get what I ask for or 2) I don’t get what I ask for, but the barber delivers something better. To this end, I go into a shop expecting to give 5 stars.
Kate delivered neither what I wanted nor something that looks better than what I wanted. I asked for 1) a skin fade with 2) a sharp ledge on one side. I also asked that she 3) leave all the length on top. I also provided a picture showing this exact cut.
I got a #2 fade with a sharp ledge on one side and about an inch taken off the top (which is significant because my hair was only about 3 inches long.
So, Kate delivered on 1 of 3 things I asked for and ultimately made me look worse.
Stay away from this place. You can get a better cut for the same cost at Wise Owls (though admittedly the staff there isn’t as pleasant to deal with).

I was never one that understood why anyone would pay over $ 12 for a haircut. Granted, the majority of my cuts were courtesy of Uncle Sam and the only haircut I knew was a military «high-​and-​tight». Furthermore, I considered «styling» to be putting some product in my hair when the top grew to a whole 2″-2.5″ in length.
That being said, my hair styles have varied… greatly. My wife has seen me come home with some pretty interesting haircuts, lol.
I came across Eastern Confederate via an article in DCist. In full disclosure, what sold me was that you get a free beer (PBR). So with zero expectations, other than getting a free beer, I walked out with a really good haircut!
How do I know that it was a really good haircut? Because, I loved it AND my wife loved it!
Moral of the story: I understand why good haircuts can be expensive. I will continue coming back to Eastern Confederate.
For men, I highly recommend asking for Kate.

As someone who never really appreciated the value of a stylist cutting my hair, I’ve grown to really like the few cuts I’ve received from Kate at Eastern Confederate.
Hipster may probably be one of the last descriptors people would use for me, so I was a bit cautious about how my cut would turn out. But I went ahead and threw caution at the wind (maybe the beer they offered helped take the edge off) and just let Kate do her thing. At the end of the day (or really the 30 mins it took to do my cut and wash), and after a couple days of getting used to the new look (which was definitely new considering I’ve had the same look for about the last 20 years of my life), I really turned out to like the style.
I’ve paid more for a cut here than I normally do, but I think for the quality of the cut, the nice welcome refreshment, and the pure convenience (as I reside in Mt. Pleasant), I think Eastern Confederate is totally worth it.

I’m visiting family next week out of town so I scheduled a «clean up» appointment three months after I stopped in the first time for a cut just to trim my ends. Ryan accommodated me same day, did a fabulous job trimming my ends, and they didn’t even charge me! I discovered that clean ups are complimentary. Too good to be true.

I have had my hair cut by Meg, Liz, and Kate. All exceptional, and always a pleasant environment, Ryan never cut my hair but took some extra time to trim my beard.
Best of all, I get a haircut that grows out nicely and I leave the choice of what do do with my hair to whoever is cutting it.
It is a real relief to be able to say I want my hair cut and leave it up to Meg or Kate or Liz to do what they think is best. I have never been disappointed by the decisions they make.
I live very close, but I would take the time to get to Mount Pleasant, if I was not close.

Liz’s cuts have changed the way I see my hair. They’re edgy, fun and perfectly contoured. It’s also great to have a stylist I like in my neighborhood. PBR’s included, best deal in DC.

A true test of a haircut is how it grows out. I was in love with my cut from Eastern Confederate on the first night that I came home and received lots of raves. One shampoo and a day later, I realized it was cut in weird sections, which had to be hidden by blow-​dry styling and flat iron. (hate when that happens!) Later, it grew out more mullet-​y and thick. Only someone like Macgyver would be happy! le sigh.
Very key here: This salon is better for those with more of a wave and texture in their hair (read: *not* super straight asian hair like mine; bummer that they can’t get it right). Ryan and other stylists here seem like artists with their sheers and have success with loyal clientele.
Décor is hipsta hip and nails that industrial, yet cozy style. Mirrors the salon experience. Pet cats run around and snuggle in different corners of the shop, and you can drink a free, complimentary beer.

I can see why this place gets amazing reviews and I’m so happy to have found it. I’ve been looking for a go-​to hair salon place since moving here last summer and this will be it. The atmosphere is relaxed and they do an amazing job while having friendly customer service. It’s such a quick let down if a place isn’t friendly, I’m from the south so this is important to me.
I showed Ryan a couple pictures of what I was going for, more layers to lighten things up, and he did exactly that. We also talked about how this will be better for those days when I wear my hair curly too so I can’t wait to try it out next time I wash it. The price is right, which is helpful since moving here from a smaller city. Super easy to get to by bus or metro.

Eastern Confederate came highly recommended to me. I have had very long hair my whole life and have always been able to trim it myself. I decided to cut it off and donate it before I lost it all to chemo. I had 24 inches cut and got a short style as my transition cut before it all fell out.
Ryan was really wonderful, I came in with a couple of pictures of what I wanted and he got it spot on! He really made my cut extremely flattering for my hair texture etc. I couldn’t have asked for more. As my hair grows back out I will definitely be back for styling as it grows out. I actually liked my cut enough that I may never go back to long hair.
Thanks Ryan and the front desk staff and Eastern Confederate! I was nervous about getting my hair cut and you all made the process so easy and nice!

My wife dropped in to see Ryan at Eastern Confederate and I enjoyed talking with him while he expertly did her hair. He did a great job with a challenging haircut and helped us donate hair to Locks of Love. They had beer and sodas on hand, and quirky stuff like Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter references around the shop, such as calling the bathroom a «Water Closet». Honestly it was pretty awesome and I know we’d come back again, and that equals five stars!

I learned about this place from my boyfriend. Yes, I never thought I would see the day where I go to the same stylist as my boyfriend. However, after seeing him comeback with great hair for several months (like, really, really great hair) from both Ryan and Meg, I decided it was worth a shot. I’m so glad I did! Meg gave me a great cut that looked great even when I traveled for work and had no access to products/​hairdryer for over a month. I’ve had people take pictures of my hair it looked THAT GOOD. She’s great!

First time hair cut by Liz. It’s like she read my mind. Like a magician, she restored my bleached, straw like curls with a cute, angled bob. GREAT price. Easy payment and tip method. Funky little basement and I was offered a beer to boot! I would’ve liked a bit more styling after the cut; I walked out a frizz ball. No matter. Will definitely be going back!

Ryan gave me one of the best haircuts I’ve ever had and as someone who has difficult hair to tame, I can say with confidence that you can trust him. My hair feels lush and light and curls nicely again. Thanks, Ryan! I told him I usually just smooth my hair down with argan oil and stay away from chemicals. He actually created a natural oil concoction right there for me out of argan, grapefruit oil (for scent, he said… Thoughtful touch) and something else I can’t remember. I was a little shocked and thankful for a stylist who A) didn’t try to sell me on product I don’t want B) listened. Nice dude, too. I’ll be back.
I had my hair colored as well but there was some miscommunication with me and Meg and I wasn’t happy by the time my hair had fully dried. But you know what? Sometimes that happens. What matters to me is that this is a salon willing to work with me until I’m happy (because let’s face it, I’m the one who lives with the result). I think that says a lot. Kate redid my hair when I came in a few days later and even stayed after hours to finish and did not charge me to fix it. It turned out exactly as I had pictured… subtle, barely-​there balayage highlights.