Business Segment Information (Schedule Of Business Segment Information) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, 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
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
External sales	$ 640,176	$ 732,169	$ 599,279	$ 626,441	$ 628,891	$ 713,788	$ 620,590	[1]	$ 619,555	[1]	$ 2,598,065	$ 2,582,824	$ 2,504,091
Intersegment sales											231,517	213,787	194,096
Depreciation and amortization											57,344	61,449	52,517
Operating earnings (loss)											61,607	35,550	72,664
Operating segment assets	1,171,259				1,227,476						1,171,259	1,227,476	1,148,043
Purchases of property and equipment											55,801	27,857	30,781
Capitalized software	7,928				10,707						7,928	10,707	24,046
Famous Footwear [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
External sales											1,514,349	1,456,314	1,486,538
Intersegment sales											2,311	2,156	1,939
Depreciation and amortization											22,819	26,116	26,017
Operating earnings (loss)											94,096	62,515	90,419
Operating segment assets	472,180				435,344						472,180	435,344	473,098
Purchases of property and equipment											34,931	16,272	22,066
Capitalized software					273							273	253
Wholesale Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
External sales											845,176	870,873	754,389
Intersegment sales											229,206	211,631	192,157
Depreciation and amortization											13,688	15,521	9,410
Operating earnings (loss)											17,581	16,739	32,227
Operating segment assets	506,523				595,355						506,523	595,355	401,700
Purchases of property and equipment											8,969	5,991	2,619
Capitalized software	3				15						3	15
Specialty Retail [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
External sales											238,540	255,637	263,164
Depreciation and amortization											2,991	3,517	3,852
Operating earnings (loss)											(8,850)	(7,627)	(5,970)
Operating segment assets	59,475				56,151						59,475	56,151	56,941
Purchases of property and equipment											6,716	3,901	2,730
Other Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization											17,846	16,295	13,238
Operating earnings (loss)											(41,220)	(36,077)	(44,012)
Operating segment assets	133,081				140,626						133,081	140,626	216,304
Purchases of property and equipment											5,185	1,693	3,366
Capitalized software	$ 7,925				$ 10,419						$ 7,925	$ 10,419	$ 23,793

[1] Quarters First QuarterSecond QuarterThird QuarterFourth Quarter ($ thousands, except per share amounts)(13 weeks)(13 weeks)(13 weeks)(13 weeks)2011Net sales$ 619,555 (1)$ 620,590 (1)$ 713,788 $ 628,891 Gross profit 247,964 (1) 233,605 (1) 276,498  238,573 Net earnings (loss) 3,641  (4,768) 33,693  (8,176)Net earnings (loss) attributable to Brown Shoe Company, Inc. 3,688  (4,609) 33,732  (8,222)Per share of common stock:  Basic earnings (loss) per common share attributable to Brown Shoe Company, Inc. shareholders(2) 0.08  (0.11) 0.80  (0.21)  Diluted earnings (loss) per common share attributable to Brown Shoe Company, Inc. shareholders(2) 0.08  (0.11) 0.79  (0.21)  Dividends paid 0.07  0.07  0.07  0.07   Market value:    High 15.77  12.79  10.31  9.72     Low 10.39  8.85  5.85  7.51 Adjusted from amounts previously reported in the Company’s Form 10-Q for the financial results related to TBMC. TBMC was acquired in the first quarter of 2011 and sold in the subsequent third quarter of 2011. The historical financial results of TBMC have been reclassified and presented as discontinued operations.