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According to the folks at Fashionista, Ann Taylor has undergone a significant and obvious J. Crew-ization over the past couple of years. But is it working? Fashionista says: "The New York-based retailer reported a very successful second quarter, with overall sales increasing by 2.8% to $483.5 million (when compared with the same quarter in 2009). Comparable store sales–or sales in stores that have been open for at least one year–were up 6.1%, compared to a 22.4% decline last year. And e-commerce was up 28.5%. Overall sales for the first half of 2010 were $959.7 million, up almost 7% from 2009. While these numbers aren’t mind-boggling, they are an improvement. It looks like Ann Taylor’s strategy might be working. For now, at least." [Fashionista]