SEGMENT INFORMATION (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Sep. 27, 2014		Sep. 28, 2013		Sep. 27, 2014		Sep. 28, 2013
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 798,936,000		$ 760,173,000		$ 2,024,645,000		$ 1,869,056,000
Operating income (loss)	110,457,000		91,076,000		219,335,000		190,757,000
Operating income (loss) as percentage of segment net sales	13.80%		12.00%		10.80%		10.20%
Charges for contingent consideration	400,000		500,000		900,000		2,300,000
Amortization of H.W. Carter and Sons tradenames	2,300,000		6,300,000		14,200,000		7,300,000
Other Tradenames [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Amortization of H.W. Carter and Sons tradenames	2,300,000		6,300,000		14,200,000		7,300,000
Japan Retail Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring charge due to closure	0		0		1,500,000		0
Hogansville Distribution Facility [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring charge due to closure	200,000	[1]	400,000	[1]	900,000	[1]	1,000,000	[1]
Office Consolidation [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring charge due to closure	0		5,900,000		6,600,000		24,100,000
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	798,936,000		760,173,000		2,024,645,000		1,869,056,000
Percentage of total net sales	100.00%		100.00%		99.99%		100.00%
Operating income (loss)	133,699,000		129,527,000		302,429,000		288,714,000
Operating income (loss) as percentage of segment net sales	16.70%		17.00%		14.90%		15.40%
Operating Segments [Member] | Carter's [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	591,227,000		569,635,000		1,526,933,000		1,422,345,000
Percentage of total net sales	74.00%		74.90%		75.40%		76.10%
Operating income (loss)	110,263,000		104,304,000		271,148,000		258,827,000
Operating income (loss) as percentage of segment net sales	18.60%		18.30%		17.80%		18.20%
Operating Segments [Member] | OshKosh [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	116,534,000		106,477,000		274,842,000		247,732,000
Percentage of total net sales	14.50%		14.00%		13.60%		13.40%
Operating income (loss)	7,540,000		10,094,000		4,242,000		2,409,000
Operating income (loss) as percentage of segment net sales	6.50%		9.50%		1.50%		1.00%
Operating Segments [Member] | Wholesale [Member] | Carter's [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	309,772,000		318,607,000		781,460,000		763,518,000
Percentage of total net sales	38.80%		41.90%		38.60%		40.90%
Operating income (loss)	55,762,000		56,703,000		133,489,000		138,186,000
Operating income (loss) as percentage of segment net sales	18.00%		17.80%		17.10%		18.10%
Operating Segments [Member] | Wholesale [Member] | OshKosh [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	25,107,000		24,583,000		52,342,000		54,070,000
Percentage of total net sales	3.10%		3.20%		2.60%		2.90%
Operating income (loss)	2,240,000		4,445,000		5,125,000		7,929,000
Operating income (loss) as percentage of segment net sales	8.90%		18.10%		9.80%		14.70%
Operating Segments [Member] | Retail [Member] | Carter's [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	281,455,000	[2]	251,028,000	[2]	745,473,000	[2]	658,827,000	[2]
Percentage of total net sales	35.20%	[2]	33.00%	[2]	36.80%	[2]	35.20%	[2]
Operating income (loss)	54,501,000	[2]	47,601,000	[2]	137,659,000	[2]	120,641,000	[2]
Operating income (loss) as percentage of segment net sales	19.40%	[2]	19.00%	[2]	18.50%	[2]	18.30%	[2]
Operating Segments [Member] | Retail [Member] | OshKosh [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	91,427,000	[2]	81,894,000	[2]	222,500,000	[2]	193,662,000	[2]
Percentage of total net sales	11.40%	[2]	10.80%	[2]	11.00%	[2]	10.40%	[2]
Operating income (loss)	5,300,000	[2]	5,649,000	[2]	(883,000)	[2]	(5,520,000)	[2]
Operating income (loss) as percentage of segment net sales	5.80%	[2]	6.90%	[2]	(0.40%)	[2]	(2.90%)	[2]
Operating Segments [Member] | International [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	91,175,000	[3]	84,061,000	[3]	222,870,000	[3]	198,979,000	[3]
Percentage of total net sales	11.50%	[3]	11.10%	[3]	11.00%	[3]	10.50%	[3]
Operating income (loss)	15,896,000	[3],[4]	15,129,000	[3],[4]	27,039,000	[3],[4]	27,478,000	[3],[4]
Operating income (loss) as percentage of segment net sales	17.40%	[3],[4]	18.00%	[3],[4]	12.10%	[3],[4]	13.80%	[3],[4]
Operating Segments [Member] | International [Member] | Japan Retail Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring charge due to closure							500,000
Corporate [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Corporate expenses	$ (23,242,000)		$ (38,451,000)		$ (83,094,000)	[5],[6]	$ (97,957,000)	[5],[6]
Corporate expense as percentage of segment net sales	(2.90%)	[5],[6]	(5.10%)	[5],[6]	(4.10%)	[5],[6]	(5.20%)	[5],[6]

[1] Continuing operating costs associated with the closure of the Company's distribution facility in Hogansville, Georgia.

[2] Includes eCommerce results.

[3] Net sales include international retail, eCommerce, and wholesale sales. Operating income includes international licensing income.

[4] Includes the following net charges:Fiscal quarter endedThree fiscal quarters ended(dollars in millions)September 27, 2014 September 28, 2013September 27, 2014 September 28, 2013Revaluation of contingent consideration$0.4 $0.5$0.9 $2.3Exit from Japan retail operations$— $—$0.5 $—

[5] Includes the following charges: Fiscal quarter ended Three fiscal quarters ended(dollars in millions)September 27, 2014 September 28, 2013 September 27, 2014 September 28, 2013Closure of distribution facility in Hogansville, GA (1)$0.2 $0.4 $0.9 $1.0Office consolidation costs $— $5.9 $6.6 $24.1Amortization of H.W. Carter and Sons tradenames$2.3 $6.3 $14.2 $7.3(1) Continuing operating costs associated with the closure of the Company's distribution facility in Hogansville, Georgia.

[6] Corporate expenses include expenses related to incentive compensation, stock-based compensation, executive management, severance and relocation, finance, building occupancy, information technology, certain legal fees, consulting, and audit fees.