All of the love for Ryan & his crew. I feel very lucky to have such an easygoing den of talented people up the road from me. Best value for a ladies' haircut in DC, no question. No one will sell you on product, but they will hand you a beer and ask you about your day. Ryan used to cut my hair when he was cutting out of his basement, and I wouldn't dream of going to anyone else these days. To second others: when they say these are haircuts you can air dry, they mean it. Ryan's pulled it off on my head (not easy with long wannabe-wavy fine hair) and Meg with my roommate's (also not easy) and everyone else I've referred has left singing their praises. read more

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!! read more

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! read more

This review is for Meg, though I have friends who refuse to go to anyone but Ryan. Physically, my hair is my favorite feature of mine. It's enormously thick and long and wild, so I get extremely nervous when it's time to cut it. Meg gave me the exact hair cut I wanted! She took so much weight out of my hair without making it obvious, and I can feel the difference. Every little critique I had in my head during the cut (she'll need to take more off the bang, the lefts a teensy bit longer, etc) I never got to say out loud because she caught them and fixed them by the time she was done. I've washed and styled it myself since, the true test, and it's still just lovely. Finally found a person in this city who I trust with my hair. That is priceless. read more

Since I wrote my first review, I've been back to Meg several times for cuts, bang trims, and color. I am happy every single time. Let me add that I usually have enormous commitment issues with hair salons, especially in this frumpy city (sorry DC, I love you, but it's kind of true...) and Eastern Confederate changed all that forever. YAY for never having to find a new hair place again. read more

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. read more

This is not my normal type of hair salon. It's a hipster spot and at first, kind of scared me a bit. It doesn't look very "hair salon like." However, Liz hooked me up! I chopped off ten inches and she knew exactly how to cut it to ensure that it stayed as a low maintenance style. I'm always worried about cuts once you leave the salon and aren't blow drying it every day, but she completely did as I hoped. Great experience and I will be back. read more

Wow, wow, wow. Got my hair cut by Meg and seriously, more than half a dozen people have come up to me to compliment me on my hair in the following week--and these aren't just "Oh, you cut your hair, I should say something" compliments; I mean, coworkers I never even talk to have stopped me in the hallway to exclaim about my hair and ask where I got it done. I am terrible at telling stylists what I want; I have this fantasy that I'll go to get my hair cut, leave absolutely everything up to the stylist's discretion, and leave with AMAZING hair. Needless to say, that pretty much never happens. Also, I hate actually styling my hair, and even when I tell stylists this, they usually end up entreating me to "just" use one or two products on my new cut (which will inevitably look terrible without said products). I gave the same line to Meg and admittedly freaked out through the second half of my cut because she chopped off A LOT of hair and spent a long time blowing it out. I left Eastern Confederate with interview/gala hair--very nice, but I was scared about what it would look like un-styled. But Meg had assured me that air-drying would be enough, and true to her word, the cut looks good air-dried. Awesome, awesome, awesome! I don't even know how to describe my new hair. I have never gotten a cut like this before. It moves well--does that make sense? If I shake my head around and make my hair fall a new way, it looks good. I don't know. Meg is an artiste. THANK YOU, MEG. Another reviewer complained about EC's voicemail--seriously, I think they just don't have call waiting; if you can't get through, you should probably just wait 10 minutes and call again if you're opposed to contacting them through email. I was able to book a next-day appointment, which was pretty cool. Another plus: I had my choice of sipping on either Natty Bo or cheap champagne (the only kind I drink) while Meg worked her magic. Lovely! read more

Over the years I developed a fear of barbers, as everytime I went to get my hair cut it seemed as if the barber tuned out while I explained what I wanted done. After this, I got in the cycle of letting my hair grow and buzzing it a few times a year to keep it under control. Several of my friends started telling me about Eastern Confederate so I decided to give it a shot as they seemed extremely happy with the people there. I have to say that Ryan is meticulous in his attention to detail and gives an awesome cut. Definitely has a keen sense for hair and his trade. The vibe there is also awesome- always good music and a beer or drink while you get your hair cut. I've been back twice so far and have not left unhappy yet. Highly recommended as Ryan cured my Tonsurephobia. read more

This is place is wonderful! I went to Ryan yesterday and after some vague instructions (which were mostly "cut it off!"), he gave me a gorgeous and fun haircut. I like his laid-back energy and the cool, casual vibe of the salon. It's an incredibly amazing value for what you get (I've heard horror stories from friends who've paid nearly twice as much for cuts other places they haven't been happy with). I love the whole wash-and-wear philosophy they have here, too -- I've had a few too many cuts that looked good once I left the salon and were just OK once I got home. I've drifted in and out of salons for the past couple of years because I could never find one I was really comfortable with. I'm overjoyed to have found this salon and I've spent the past couple of days recommending this place to all my friends. read more

I have to say Lizz is an exquisite hair wrangler, bang sculptor! You should visit Lizz for any and all hair malaise! For my most recent cut, I came in looking like a tumbleweed and now this head is sleek and rockin and smells like gourmet donut! And it was no easy task, for my overly processed, tangle prone hair. Lizz will take the time you need during the initial consultation to make sure you are on the same page, excited, and informed! We exchanged photos and video of what I wanted, and the cut came out even better than I imagined because of our discussion during the consultation. Lizz really cares about the quality of your experience and your hair as a development of your personal style, unique identity, performance, and is just hyper-skilled! Just the best :) read more

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! read more

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. read more

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!). read more

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). read more

I've been getting my hair done at Eastern Confederate for over a year now and I'm always happy with the results. I mostly see Meg for hair cuts and she does a great job. Kate has also done a great job with highlights in the past. Everyone who works here is friendly and laid back. The free PBR (or coffee or water) is a nice touch. read more

Loved it, love them. Great place for the stylist to give you a new 'do. I was with Meg, and she was great! I did have to call in my appointment, because the email system was sketchy. read more

I got a random gift certificate to Eastern Confederate, and was equally randomly assigned to Meg-- and I couldn't have had a better experience. I usually cut my own hair using buzzers and some scissors, just so I can do whatever I want without feeling judged, but I wanted to get my hairdo re-shaped so I could move on to a different style. Meg listened well to what I wanted, gave some feedback, and then gave me a great haircut. Didn't pressure me to buy any products (or use them at the end of the cut so that I'd walk out with something unrecognizable!), and she was companionably quiet the whole time. I'm awkward about small talk, and it suited me nicely. Everyone else in the room was also super nice. Good experience! read more

This place is great. Ryan cuts my very curly hair. I feel cool going to a hair salon in a basement that has a cat. I look cool when I come out. What could be better? read more

Not only did I get an amazing haircut, but I love love love the decor and vibe of the studio. I will be coming back for my next cut!

Loved the cut Ryan gave me, and Kevin and the Pabst.

I have been coming here for a year now to see Kate and couldn't be happier. Meg and Ryan are also very nice and the whole atmosphere is just so laid back and relaxing - exactly what I expect and look forward to when getting my hair done. This place has an awesome, welcoming vibe and as long as I'm in D.C. I'll keep coming back. Love it! read more

I received a fantastic haircut. Meg listened briefly to what I wanted, had never cut my hair before, and executed my 'loose idea of a pixie cut' exactly as I wished. Receiving this haircut for 55$ + tip, must create a lot of loyal patrons for Eastern Confederate and its stylists. Thanks all! read more

I'm really glad this place exists! I moved here at the beginning of the summer from LA and I found Eastern Confederate about a month ago. Even though I usually keep my hair fairly short, I hadn't cut it since I got here because I had trouble finding a place in the District that felt relaxed or funky enough, and also DC salon prices make me sad. Lizz was great. It's always scary going to a new stylist, and I hadn't brought any pictures, but she knew what she was doing and I felt totally comfortable trusting her. Not only did I get compliments on my haircut for the next three weeks, but she gave me some great tips on cool places in the city and even the name of her doctor since I hadn't found one yet. No up-sell, free PBR, good price, great vibe. I'll be back for sure. read more

Cannot cut hair that is thick/curly/wavy I would only go there if I have plain and regular straight fine hair and simple requests and don't want to look lost and confused after read more

I make my appointments by email which seems to be the way to go here. They've been very considerate when I no-showed. Treat yourself. Don't spend it on freaking clothes you don't need. Get a good haircut without the small talk stress and all the weird hair product stuff everywhere... read more

Yesterday was my first visit to EC and I had a hair trim with Meg. I'm growing out my short hair for an October wedding and was terrified to get too much cut off as I've been growing it slowly out for about 5 months. Meg listened and didn't cut too much, yet left it looking healthy. Mad props to the first hair stylist who hasn't given me a hack job when all I ask for is a modest trim. Pros: Meg is awesome; Cat pic as soon as you walk in the door; Complimentary beer. Cons: Hipster overkill, but they're all sweet enough; Pricey ($60 cut), but nothing unlike you'll find in the rest of the city. Going back for highlights in April and looking forward to it. Book your appointment with Meg today, you won't be disappointed! read more

I love this salon! Definitely the most reasonably priced cut in DC and Meg is fantastic. I've been going to her for a little over a year and recently have sent most of the women in my family. She's great at listening to what you want. Always has a very positive experience and always walk away very happy with my hair. read more

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. read more

After my first experience with Eastern Confederate I honestly never want to go anywhere else. First off, the atmosphere is awesome-- very cool and quirky and pleasant. And the pricing is very reasonable compared with other places in the city. Lizz did my hair; I wanted a very specific style that would probably be easy to mess up, as well as some coloring. She did an AMAZING job! I've never been happier with how I look! It even looked good after I washed it which I'm sure we all know is a rare and magical thing. The color is bright and beautiful and the cut is exactly what I was hoping for. I'm getting tons of compliments. A friend of mine went to Meg and also got just the color she was going for. I sincerely recommend this place across the board. read more

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. read more

Ok. I gotta say it. Worst hair cut ever (and I'm including the time I cut my hair into "bangs" when I was 14 before a school dance). Let me also add, that while I'm giving the salon (former Eastern Confederacy) one star I'm not going to name the stylist because this wasn't entirely her fault. So here goes. I had had my hair cut there once before. They charged me $80 (no less than I have paid at lots of other places). And it was a mediocre cut. I have very curly hair. Dry cutting works best on it. She wet cut it. And it was not great but not worthy of a complaint, especially since I didn't communicate that upfront. I decided to try them again, because they are right in my neighborhood, and it would be great if I could find someone there who did a good job locally. So I sent an email, explaining in detail my prior experience, why dry cutting worked better etc, and they replied with a stylist. When I arrived and she sat me down, I reiterated the dry cut thing. And she said she doesn't really do much dry cutting. I should have just got up and said thank you very much right there, but I didn't. Instead I said that if she wasn't comfortable doing it, I could come back and see someone who was. (I assumed she hadn't been told up front that I wanted it dry cut)... She said no, it was just like wet cutting, it just took a little more time. So I stayed (it turns out - because half way through I told her I had sent the email that, though she hadn't read it, she had been told about dry cutting upfront). We had a detailed conversation about how to cut my hair (a key component being that it be cut somewhat randomly and at different lengths - shag in essence).... We also talked about length, taking off more in back than in front, etc. Instead, I got a cut that did none of those things and nothing to emphasize the curl of my hair - was way too short, and of even length such that it doesn't lay right at all. Anyway, I was charged $60 this time, and tipped $15, on the theory that it wasn't entirely her fault, and partly mine (think of it as self-punishment for not following my instinct to flee - lesson learned on that front). But really, with the email I sent in asking for the appointment, the scheduler/salon should have either given me to someone who knew what they were doing, or told me to go elsewhere. It will be at least a month before there is enough length to even go to someone else and have it shaped correctly... Lots of scarves and hats til then! I have a friend with very straight hair who gets her hair cut here and really likes it. For those who don't, I'd say two strikes and they are out. read more

I've gone to Eastern Confederate three now in the last month, and I'm so happy with the results! The first time I went in to get some balayage highlights done throughout my hair for the summer with Kate. I came in, immediately loved the atmosphere, music, beer, and of course the cats. Kate listened to what I had to say, and gave me great input on what she thought might work, given my hair's sad history. She did some highlights throughout and an ash wash (which I love!) but we weren't sure if the highlights were enough. She wanted me to wash it a few times, and come back if I needed anything else. After a week, I came back to get more highlights that were set a little longer. Kate was so flexible and great, and didn't charge me for my second visit at all! I love the color of my hair now, and the highlights are fantastic. Last night, I went in for a cut with Meg. I knew the ends of my hair were worse than normal and a trim wasn't going to suffice. I figured on at least 4-5 inches. Meg was really understanding about where I wanted to go with it, and added that choppy layers would help too. Then, as she started to cut, I decided to go even shorter. Meg was patient with me, told me it was a great idea, and cut off another inch and a half or so. I LOVE the way my hair looks! It's great straight or wavy, and it's beautiful for the summer. I'm so happy with the results from both my trips. I'm going to be a loyal customer for as long as I'm living in the DC area! read more

I really wanted to like this place. Great fun atmosphere, laid back vibe, nice stylists. But man my hair cut was NOT good. I have long thick wavy hair, and Meg seemed to have a good reputation online (and in print) for cutting it. We discussed what I wanted -- remove some of the weight, but keep it so it dries naturally and looks wavy and piecey with just a little product -- basically something that doesn't require a huge amount of styling. I've gotten this hair cut from dozens of salons in multiple cities, not crazy hard. We talked about shortening the length but a couple inches. She proceeded to cut many inches off and leave me with a mop that had no body to it. The top layers all hit at one place in the back so it gave me a weird hair curtain over the longer bottom layers. It didn't blend at all. I had to blow dry it just to smooth it out and give it a bit of shape. After two months of grow out, and went to another salon and the woman actually asked me if I'd cut my own hair the time before. Ha. Plus the girl at the front desk was rude and spent most of my hair cut yelling across the room to my stylist as she looked through pics of the two of them at a wedding. She narrated a series of wasted pics of the two of them for 30 minutes. I began to wonder if she was wasted right then. I'm no prude -- and this is totally the kind of conversation I'd have with friends -- but it was just annoying having to sit there and listen to her. Not appropriate. read more

A friend told me about the salon but had not been so I requested a haircut from Meg based on other yelp reviews. The email appointment process was easy and the place has a fun setting. The prices seem reasonable, but I think it would be best to see Ryan or someone else depending on your hair type. My haircut (long layers) from Meg looked decent when finished, but it feels super thin and I had to cut another 4" to fix the layers and not have a mullet, let along the split ends caused by all the razoring. I attempted to ask for a slight change/improvement and then got a terribly rude attitude from Meg so I will not return. read more

Meg cut my hair. She's awesome. The hair cut she gave me is great. Overall, super happy.

The place is a hipster den. My first appointment with Meg was cancelled the day of. One chair has no foot rest, so your legs dangle, which becomes really uncomfortable after awhile. A few products (shampoo, conditioner, etc.) have been tapped out by the time they were supposed to be used on me, and I've had to sit there while new products (or makeshift substitutes) were found. Cuts from Meg have been quick yet fine. I received color from Kate once, and it was way off from what I requested, very much so, especially since I asked for her to simply freshen up what I already had. I'm still not sure what happened there, but it was a rattling experience for me. All in all, the people who work here seem nice, and you can't beat the prices, but if you want a more professional salon experience, I would be tempted to look elsewhere. read more

Meg makes my macabre mane majorly magnificent.

Only hair salon that I have ever genuinely enjoyed. Ryan, Kate, Meg, they all make me look and feel my best. Anyone you get here will crush it. Extremely talented professionals and all around great humans. read more

Anyone who doesn't get their hair cut at Eastern Confederate is an idiot.