Financial Information For The Company And Its Subsidiaries (Schedule Of Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	May 04, 2013	Feb. 02, 2013	Apr. 28, 2012	Jan. 28, 2012
Percentage of Guarantors owned by Parent	100.00%
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 44,669	$ 68,223	$ 39,792	$ 47,682
Receivables, net	96,734	111,392	115,911
Inventories, net	485,923	503,688	475,557
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	43,167	42,016	41,375
Current assets – held for sale	12,496
Current assets – discontinued operations	39,159	47,109	65,515
Total current assets	722,148	772,428	738,150
Other assets	115,591	119,695	137,479
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	80,996	82,504	81,975
Non current assets – discontinued operations	38,673	51,776	58,667
Property and equipment, net	137,299	144,856	124,551
Investment in subsidiaries
Total assets	1,094,707	1,171,259	1,140,822
Liabilities and Equity
Borrowings under revolving credit agreement	66,000	105,000	124,000
Trade accounts payable	188,948	213,660	172,894
Other accrued expenses	118,632	137,190	129,852
Current liabilities – held for sale	5,306
Current liabilities – discontinued operations	16,183	13,259	15,118
Total current liabilities	395,069	469,109	441,864
Other liabilities
Long-term debt	198,870	198,823	198,680
Other liabilities	81,066	70,430	77,315
Non current liabilities – discontinued operations	6,768	6,996	9,969
Intercompany payable (receivable)
Total other liabilities	286,704	276,249	285,964
Equity
Brown Shoe Company, Inc. shareholders' equity	412,190	425,129	412,012
Noncontrolling interests	744	772	982
Total equity	412,934	425,901	412,994
Total liabilities and equity	1,094,707	1,171,259	1,140,822
Parent [Member]
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents				(4,386)
Receivables, net	67,017	67,571	84,634
Inventories, net	79,768	92,683	70,581
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	41,977	14,523	38,498
Current assets – held for sale
Current assets – discontinued operations	2,542	5,447	14,327
Total current assets	191,304	180,224	208,040
Other assets	98,431	99,527	117,615
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	36,203	37,270	40,467
Non current assets – discontinued operations			5,981
Property and equipment, net	26,484	27,931	23,463
Investment in subsidiaries	759,545	765,729	817,259
Total assets	1,111,967	1,110,681	1,212,825
Liabilities and Equity
Borrowings under revolving credit agreement	66,000	105,000	124,000
Trade accounts payable	31,065	53,350	22,435
Other accrued expenses	55,497	51,751	50,613
Current liabilities – held for sale
Current liabilities – discontinued operations	11,343	3,754	7,098
Total current liabilities	163,905	213,855	204,146
Other liabilities
Long-term debt	198,870	198,823	198,680
Other liabilities	26,685	17,042	29,352
Non current liabilities – discontinued operations	(1,105)	(1,145)
Intercompany payable (receivable)	311,422	256,977	368,635
Total other liabilities	535,872	471,697	596,667
Equity
Brown Shoe Company, Inc. shareholders' equity	412,190	425,129	412,012
Noncontrolling interests
Total equity	412,190	425,129	412,012
Total liabilities and equity	1,111,967	1,110,681	1,212,825
Guarantors [Member]
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	29,202	32,060	27,450	34,332
Receivables, net	6,079	6,593	6,305
Inventories, net	400,139	394,468	391,630
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	1,251	26,524	1,565
Current assets – held for sale
Current assets – discontinued operations	36,605	41,553	51,127
Total current assets	473,276	501,198	478,077
Other assets	16,562	19,320	18,999
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	19,538	19,901	15,880
Non current assets – discontinued operations	1,321	1,652	1,945
Property and equipment, net	108,416	108,224	91,560
Investment in subsidiaries	(28,096)	91,136	63,885
Total assets	591,017	741,431	670,346
Liabilities and Equity
Borrowings under revolving credit agreement
Trade accounts payable	129,630	118,096	116,475
Other accrued expenses	59,651	78,293	69,069
Current liabilities – held for sale
Current liabilities – discontinued operations	4,796	9,396	7,961
Total current liabilities	194,077	205,785	193,505
Other liabilities
Long-term debt
Other liabilities	50,003	48,986	46,997
Non current liabilities – discontinued operations	(2,535)	(2,328)	(2,991)
Intercompany payable (receivable)	(410,073)	(389,774)	(384,424)
Total other liabilities	(362,605)	(343,116)	(340,418)
Equity
Brown Shoe Company, Inc. shareholders' equity	759,545	878,762	817,259
Noncontrolling interests
Total equity	759,545	878,762	817,259
Total liabilities and equity	591,017	741,431	670,346
Non-Guarantors [Member]
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	15,467	36,163	12,342	17,736
Receivables, net	23,638	37,228	24,972
Inventories, net	6,016	16,537	13,346
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	(61)	969	1,312
Current assets – held for sale	12,496
Current assets – discontinued operations	12	109	61
Total current assets	57,568	91,006	52,033
Other assets	598	848	865
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	25,255	25,333	25,628
Non current assets – discontinued operations	37,352	50,124	50,741
Property and equipment, net	2,399	8,701	9,528
Investment in subsidiaries	(3,597)	113,033
Total assets	119,575	289,045	138,795
Liabilities and Equity
Borrowings under revolving credit agreement
Trade accounts payable	28,253	42,214	33,984
Other accrued expenses	3,484	7,146	10,170
Current liabilities – held for sale	5,306
Current liabilities – discontinued operations	44	109	59
Total current liabilities	37,087	49,469	44,213
Other liabilities
Long-term debt
Other liabilities	4,378	4,402	966
Non current liabilities – discontinued operations	10,408	10,469	12,960
Intercompany payable (receivable)	98,651	132,797	15,789
Total other liabilities	113,437	147,668	29,715
Equity
Brown Shoe Company, Inc. shareholders' equity	(31,693)	91,136	63,885
Noncontrolling interests	744	772	982
Total equity	(30,949)	91,908	64,867
Total liabilities and equity	119,575	289,045	138,795
Eliminations [Member]
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents
Receivables, net
Inventories, net
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
Current assets – held for sale
Current assets – discontinued operations
Total current assets
Other assets
Goodwill and intangible assets, net
Non current assets – discontinued operations
Property and equipment, net
Investment in subsidiaries	(727,852)	(969,898)	(881,144)
Total assets	(727,852)	(969,898)	(881,144)
Liabilities and Equity
Borrowings under revolving credit agreement
Trade accounts payable
Other accrued expenses
Current liabilities – held for sale
Current liabilities – discontinued operations
Total current liabilities
Other liabilities
Long-term debt
Other liabilities
Non current liabilities – discontinued operations
Intercompany payable (receivable)
Total other liabilities
Equity
Brown Shoe Company, Inc. shareholders' equity	(727,852)	(969,898)	(881,144)
Noncontrolling interests
Total equity	(727,852)	(969,898)	(881,144)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (727,852)	$ (969,898)	$ (881,144)