Stock-based Compensation (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Oct. 29, 2016	Oct. 31, 2015	Oct. 29, 2016	Oct. 31, 2015
DSW Stock-Based Compensation Plans [Abstract]
Number of shares authorized (in shares)	8,500		8,500
Annual vesting percentage (in hundredths)			20.00%
Additional Disclosures [Abstract]
Share-based compensation expense	$ 2,840	$ 3,084	$ 10,156	$ 10,737
Employee Stock Option [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized	$ 13,118		$ 13,118
Stock Option Activity [Roll Forward]
Outstanding, beginning of period (in shares)			3,849
Granted			835
Exercised			(266)
Forfeited			(443)
Outstanding, end of period (in shares)	3,975		3,975
Exercisable, end of period (in shares)	2,071		2,071
Additional Disclosures [Abstract]
Share-based compensation expense	$ 1,313	1,539	$ 4,538	$ 5,165
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions and Methodology [Abstract]
Risk-free interest rate			1.50%	1.40%
Expected volatility of DSW Inc. Common Shares			36.00%	37.90%
Expected option term			5 years 5 months 1 day	5 years 1 month 4 days
Dividend yield			3.00%	2.10%
Weighted average grant date fair value (in dollars per share)			$ 6.59	$ 10.09
Equity instruments other than options [Roll forward]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition			2 years 1 month
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Not yet Recognized, Share-based Awards Other than Options	$ 6,601		$ 6,601
Stock Option Activity [Roll Forward]
Outstanding, beginning of period (in shares)			372
Granted			187
Exercised			(106)
Forfeited			(81)
Outstanding, end of period (in shares)	372		372
Exercisable, end of period (in shares)	0		0
Additional Disclosures [Abstract]
Share-based compensation expense	$ 782	586	$ 2,651	$ 1,986
Equity instruments other than options [Roll forward]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition			1 year 9 months
Performance Shares [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Not yet Recognized, Share-based Awards Other than Options	$ 4,453		$ 4,453
Stock Option Activity [Roll Forward]
Outstanding, beginning of period (in shares)			293
Granted			114
Exercised			(133)
Forfeited			(27)
Outstanding, end of period (in shares)	247		247
Exercisable, end of period (in shares)	0		0
Additional Disclosures [Abstract]
Share-based compensation expense	$ 547	915	$ 1,779	2,617
Equity instruments other than options [Roll forward]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition			1 year 11 months
Director Stock Units [Member]
Stock Option Activity [Roll Forward]
Outstanding, beginning of period (in shares)			305
Granted			64
Exercised			(60)
Forfeited			0
Outstanding, end of period (in shares)	309		309
Exercisable, end of period (in shares)	0		0
Additional Disclosures [Abstract]
Share-based compensation expense	$ 198	$ 44	$ 1,188	$ 969