SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549



                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

      Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


     Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)  November 9, 1998 
                                                       ----------------


                          ANNTAYLOR STORES CORPORATION
                          ----------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



          Delaware                   1-10738               13-3499319
 ------------------------------   ------------   -----------------------------
(State or other jurisdiction of   (Commission   (I.R.S. Employer Identification
       incorporation)             File Number)                 Number)


   142 West 57th Street, New York, NY                         10019
   ----------------------------------                         -----
(Address of principal executive offices)                    (Zip Code)


                   
                                 (212) 541-3300
                                 --------------
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)



                                     N/A
                                     ---
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)



===============================================================================




<PAGE> 2



ITEM 5.  Other Events
-------  ------------

Dismissal of Novak v. Kasaks et al.
-----------------------------------
         On November 9, 1998, the U.S.  District Court for the Southern District
of New York issued an Opinion dismissing, with prejudice, the amended complaint,
filed in April 1998, in the purported  class action  lawsuit  against  AnnTaylor
Stores Corporation (the "Company"),  its wholly owned subsidiary AnnTaylor, Inc.
("Ann Taylor"), present and former directors and officers of the Company and Ann
Taylor, Merrill Lynch & Co. ("Merrill") and certain affiliates of Merrill (Novak
v. Kasaks,  et. al., No. 96 CIV 3073  (S.D.N.Y.  1996)),  relating to the period
commencing  February 3, 1994 through May 4, 1995. The amended  complaint alleged
causes  of  action  under  Section  10(b) and  Section  20(a) of the  Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,  and Rule 10b-5  promulgated  thereunder.  The
Court found that the amended complaint failed to state a claim upon which relief
may be granted, and failed to plead fraud with particularity and an inability to
do so. The  plaintiffs  may appeal the Court's  ruling within thirty days of the
date of entry of the Court's order.


                                   SIGNATURES
                                   ----------

      Pursuant to the  requirements of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                                 AnnTaylor Stores Corporation


Date:  November 12, 1998         By: /s/  Walter J. Parks                      
                                     ---------------------------
                                          Walter J. Parks
                                 Senior Vice President - Chief Financial Officer
[{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "description": "ATSC 8-K", "secsgml_size_bytes": 3393}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "TAYLOR ANN STORES CORP", "cik": "0000874214", "assigned-sic": "5621", "irs-number": "133499319", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "0201"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-10738", "film-number": "98745755"}, "business-address": {"street1": "142 WEST 57TH ST", "city": "NEW YORK", "state": "NY", "zip": "10019", "phone": "2125413300"}}
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

      Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

     Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)  November 9, 1998 
                                                       ----------------

                          ANNTAYLOR STORES CORPORATION
                          ----------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

          Delaware                   1-10738               13-3499319
 ------------------------------   ------------   -----------------------------
(State or other jurisdiction of   (Commission   (I.R.S. Employer Identification
       incorporation)             File Number)                 Number)

   142 West 57th Street, New York, NY                         10019
   ----------------------------------                         -----
(Address of principal executive offices)                    (Zip Code)

                   
                                 (212) 541-3300
                                 --------------
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

                                     N/A
                                     ---
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

===============================================================================
2

ITEM 5.  Other Events
-------  ------------

Dismissal of Novak v. Kasaks et al.
-----------------------------------
         On November 9, 1998, the U.S.  District Court for the Southern District
of New York issued an Opinion dismissing, with prejudice, the amended complaint,
filed in April 1998, in the purported  class action  lawsuit  against  AnnTaylor
Stores Corporation (the "Company"),  its wholly owned subsidiary AnnTaylor, Inc.
("Ann Taylor"), present and former directors and officers of the Company and Ann
Taylor, Merrill Lynch & Co. ("Merrill") and certain affiliates of Merrill (Novak
v. Kasaks,  et. al., No. 96 CIV 3073  (S.D.N.Y.  1996)),  relating to the period
commencing  February 3, 1994 through May 4, 1995. The amended  complaint alleged
causes  of  action  under  Section  10(b) and  Section  20(a) of the  Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,  and Rule 10b-5  promulgated  thereunder.  The
Court found that the amended complaint failed to state a claim upon which relief
may be granted, and failed to plead fraud with particularity and an inability to
do so. The  plaintiffs  may appeal the Court's  ruling within thirty days of the
date of entry of the Court's order.

                                   SIGNATURES
                                   ----------

      Pursuant to the  requirements of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                 AnnTaylor Stores Corporation

Date:  November 12, 1998         By: /s/  Walter J. Parks                      
                                     ---------------------------
                                          Walter J. Parks
                                 Senior Vice President - Chief Financial Officer