Financial Information For The Company And Its Subsidiaries (Schedule Of Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Feb. 02, 2013	Jan. 28, 2012	Jan. 29, 2011	Jan. 30, 2010
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 68,223	$ 47,682	$ 126,548	$ 125,833
Receivables	125,683	154,022
Inventories	533,275	561,797
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	45,247	51,637
Total current assets	772,428	815,138
Other assets	120,114	140,277
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	132,628	140,590
Property and equipment, net	146,089	131,471
Investment in subsidiaries
Total assets	1,171,259	1,227,476	1,148,043
Borrowings under revolving credit agreement	105,000	201,000
Other accrued expenses	141,367	132,969
Trade accounts payable	222,742	190,611
Total current liabilities	469,109	524,580
Other liabilities	77,426	90,547
Long-term debt	198,823	198,633
Intercompany payable (receivable)
Total other liabilities	276,249	289,180
Brown Shoe Company, Inc. shareholders' equity	425,129	412,669
Noncontrolling interests	772	1,047
Total equity	425,901	413,716	415,909	411,227
Total liabilities and equity	1,171,259	1,227,476
Parent [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents		(4,386)
Receivables	70,308	78,129
Inventories	94,817	129,776
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	15,099	35,625
Total current assets	180,224	239,144
Other assets	99,527	115,515
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	37,270	47,765
Property and equipment, net	27,931	23,621
Investment in subsidiaries	765,729	813,602
Total assets	1,110,681	1,239,647
Borrowings under revolving credit agreement	105,000	201,000
Other accrued expenses	54,729	60,079
Trade accounts payable	54,126	49,238
Total current liabilities	213,855	310,317
Other liabilities	15,897	29,702
Long-term debt	198,823	198,633
Intercompany payable (receivable)	256,977	288,326
Total other liabilities	471,697	516,661
Brown Shoe Company, Inc. shareholders' equity	425,129	412,669
Noncontrolling interests
Total equity	425,129	412,669
Total liabilities and equity	1,110,681	1,239,647
Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	32,060	34,332	27,095	9,271
Receivables	18,088	24,082
Inventories	421,914	418,264
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	29,136	14,685
Total current assets	501,198	491,363
Other assets	19,739	23,844
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	19,901	16,160
Property and equipment, net	109,457	97,887
Investment in subsidiaries	91,136	68,057
Total assets	741,431	697,311
Borrowings under revolving credit agreement
Other accrued expenses	79,492	65,676
Trade accounts payable	126,293	92,431
Total current liabilities	205,785	158,107
Other liabilities	46,658	46,717
Long-term debt
Intercompany payable (receivable)	(389,774)	(321,115)
Total other liabilities	(343,116)	(274,398)
Brown Shoe Company, Inc. shareholders' equity	878,762	813,602
Noncontrolling interests
Total equity	878,762	813,602
Total liabilities and equity	741,431	697,311
Non-Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	36,163	17,736	99,453	116,562
Receivables	37,287	51,811
Inventories	16,544	13,757
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	1,012	1,327
Total current assets	91,006	84,631
Other assets	848	918
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	75,457	76,665
Property and equipment, net	8,701	9,963
Investment in subsidiaries	113,033
Total assets	289,045	172,177
Borrowings under revolving credit agreement
Other accrued expenses	7,146	7,214
Trade accounts payable	42,323	48,942
Total current liabilities	49,469	56,156
Other liabilities	14,871	14,128
Long-term debt
Intercompany payable (receivable)	132,797	32,789
Total other liabilities	147,668	46,917
Brown Shoe Company, Inc. shareholders' equity	91,136	68,057
Noncontrolling interests	772	1,047
Total equity	91,908	69,104
Total liabilities and equity	289,045	172,177
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents
Receivables
Inventories
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
Total current assets
Other assets
Goodwill and intangible assets, net
Property and equipment, net
Investment in subsidiaries	(969,898)	(881,659)
Total assets	(969,898)	(881,659)
Borrowings under revolving credit agreement
Other accrued expenses
Trade accounts payable
Total current liabilities
Other liabilities
Long-term debt
Intercompany payable (receivable)
Total other liabilities
Brown Shoe Company, Inc. shareholders' equity	(969,898)	(881,659)
Noncontrolling interests
Total equity	(969,898)	(881,659)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (969,898)	$ (881,659)