Earnings Per Share (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Feb. 02, 2013		Oct. 27, 2012		Jul. 28, 2012		Apr. 28, 2012		Jan. 28, 2012		Oct. 29, 2011		Jul. 30, 2011		Apr. 30, 2011		Feb. 02, 2013	Jan. 28, 2012	Jan. 29, 2011
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Net earnings from continuing operations																	$ 27,204	$ 8,724	$ 37,060
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests																	287	199	173
Net earnings allocated to participating securities																	(1,365)	(529)	(1,283)
Net earnings from continuing operations																	26,126	8,394	35,950
Net earnings from discontinued operations																		15,666
Net earnings allocated to participating securities																		(668)
Net earnings from discontinued operations																		14,998
Net earnings attributable to Brown Shoe Company, Inc. after allocation of earnings to participating securities																	$ 26,126	$ 23,392	$ 35,950
Denominator for basic continuing and discontinued earnings per common share attributable to Brown Shoe Company, Inc. shareholders																	40,659,000	41,126,000	42,156,000
Dilutive effect of share-based awards																	135,000	542,000	331,000
Denominator for diluted continuing and discontinued earnings per common share attributable to Brown Shoe Company, Inc. shareholders																	40,794,000	41,668,000	42,487,000
Basic earnings per common share: From continuing operations																	$ 0.64	$ 0.20	$ 0.85
Basic earnings per common share: From discontinued operations																		$ 0.37
Basic earnings per common share attributable to Brown Shoe Company, Inc. shareholders	$ 0.09		$ 0.57		$ (0.06)		$ 0.04		$ (0.21)	[1]	$ 0.80	[1]	$ (0.11)	[1]	$ 0.08	[1]	$ 0.64	$ 0.57	$ 0.85
Diluted earnings per common share: From continuing operations																	$ 0.64	$ 0.20	$ 0.85
Diluted earnings per common share: From discontinued operations																		$ 0.36
Diluted earnings per common share attributable to Brown Shoe Company, Inc. shareholders	$ 0.09	[1]	$ 0.56	[1]	$ (0.06)	[1]	$ 0.04	[1]	$ (0.21)	[1]	$ 0.79	[1]	$ (0.11)	[1]	$ 0.08	[1]	$ 0.64	$ 0.56	$ 0.85
Options to purchase common stock, not included in computation of diluted earnings per common share																	998,701	1,415,696	1,186,570

[1] Quarters First QuarterSecond QuarterThird QuarterFourth Quarter ($ thousands, except per share amounts)(13 weeks)(13 weeks)(13 weeks)(14 weeks)2012Net sales$ 626,441 $ 599,279 $ 732,169 $ 640,176 Gross profit 239,064  233,814  285,782  251,699 Net earnings (loss) 1,628  (2,714) 24,287  4,003 Net earnings (loss) attributable to Brown Shoe Company, Inc. 1,695  (2,535) 24,292  4,039 Per share of common stock:  Basic earnings (loss) per common share attributable to Brown Shoe Company, Inc. shareholders(1) 0.04  (0.06) 0.57  0.09   Diluted earnings (loss) per common share attributable to Brown Shoe Company, Inc. shareholders(1) 0.04  (0.06) 0.56  0.09   Dividends paid 0.07  0.07  0.07  0.07   Market value:    High 11.30  14.24  16.88  19.64     Low 8.49  8.28  13.22  14.76 EPS for the quarters may not sum to the amounts for the year as each period is computed on a discrete period basis.