-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 BEapAH1Dfwff9sr1lIzCoJuLg/2nLBY/g2XQWq31QjzbK/KAGt1OWEFWh7tS+2dq
 O5WZfYrkUvc6HSRf2+ZaGQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001074759-03-000002.txt : 20030819
<SEC-HEADER>0001074759-03-000002.hdr.sgml : 20030819
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030819160817
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001074759-03-000002
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030815
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030819

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			SMITH JAMES M
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001074759

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-10738
		FILM NUMBER:		03855869

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O ANNTAYLOR STORES CORP
		STREET 2:		142 WEST 57TH STREET
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10019

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			TAYLOR ANN STORES CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000874214
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	RETAIL-WOMEN'S CLOTHING STORES [5621]
		IRS NUMBER:				133499319
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0130

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		142 WEST 57TH ST
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10019
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2125413300
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-08-15</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000874214</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>TAYLOR ANN STORES CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ANN</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001074759</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SMITH JAMES M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O ANNTAYLOR STORES CORPORATION</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>142 WEST 57TH STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10019</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Sr. VP/Chief Financial Officer</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-15</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>5001</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>16.92</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>26555</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrI
ndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-15</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>5001</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>33.24</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>21554</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTa
ble><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>16.92</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-08-15</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>5001</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2004-02-23</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>5001</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransa
ction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The option vested on February 23, 2003.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Includes holdings of approximately 300 shares in the Company's Associate Discount Stock Purchase Plan.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>James M. Smith</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-08-18</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----