Financial Information For The Company And Its Subsidiaries (Schedule of Condensed Consolidating Statement of Earnings) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended									12 Months Ended
	Jan. 30, 2016	Oct. 31, 2015	Aug. 01, 2015	May. 02, 2015	Jan. 31, 2015	Nov. 01, 2014	Aug. 02, 2014	May. 03, 2014	Aug. 03, 2013	Jan. 30, 2016	Jan. 31, 2015	Feb. 01, 2014
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 608,674	$ 728,639	$ 637,834	$ 602,283	$ 615,393	$ 729,277	$ 635,877	$ 591,162		$ 2,577,430	$ 2,571,709	$ 2,513,113
Cost of goods sold										1,529,627	1,531,609	1,498,825
Gross profit	248,048	288,434	262,795	248,526	247,387	290,730	259,642	242,341		1,047,803	1,040,100	1,014,288
Selling and administrative expenses										912,696	910,682	909,749
Restructuring and other special charges, net										0	3,484	1,262
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets to be Disposed of										0	0	4,660
Operating earnings										135,107	125,934	98,617
Interest expense										(16,589)	(20,445)	(21,254)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt										(10,651)	(420)	0
Interest income										899	379	377
Intercompany interest income (expense)										0	0
Gain on sale of subsidiary										0	4,679	(576)
Earnings before income taxes from continuing operations										108,766	110,127	77,740
Income tax provision										(26,942)	(27,184)	(23,758)
Equity in earnings loss from continuing operations of subsidiaries, net of tax											0
Net earnings from continuing operations										81,824	82,943	53,982
Discontinued Operation, Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operation During Phase-out Period, Net of Tax										0	0	(4,574)
Gain (Loss) on Sale of Assets and Asset Impairment Charges									$ (600)	0	0	(11,512)
Net loss from discontinued operations										0	0	(16,086)
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	11,578	33,992	16,863	19,391	16,191	33,237	18,039	15,476		81,824	82,943	37,896
Net earnings (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests										345	93	(177)
Net earnings attributable to Caleres, Inc.	$ 11,410	$ 33,983	$ 16,825	$ 19,261	$ 16,244	$ 33,113	$ 18,064	$ 15,429		81,479	82,850	38,073
Parent [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales										819,148	788,708	733,996
Cost of goods sold										591,539	570,343	549,281
Gross profit										227,609	218,365	184,715
Selling and administrative expenses										235,210	231,141	217,902
Restructuring and other special charges, net											3,484	686
Operating earnings										(7,601)	(16,260)	(33,873)
Interest expense										(16,588)	(20,444)	(21,163)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt										(10,651)	(420)
Interest income										695	31	23
Intercompany interest income (expense)										14,363	12,115	13,414
Gain on sale of subsidiary											0
Earnings before income taxes from continuing operations										(19,782)	(24,978)	(41,599)
Income tax provision										8,755	10,599	20,427
Equity in earnings loss from continuing operations of subsidiaries, net of tax										92,506	97,229	75,331
Net earnings from continuing operations												54,159
Discontinued Operation, Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operation During Phase-out Period, Net of Tax												(5,296)
Gain (Loss) on Sale of Assets and Asset Impairment Charges												0
Equity in earnings loss from discontinuing operations of subsidiaries, net of tax												(10,790)
Net loss from discontinued operations												(16,086)
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest										81,479	82,850	38,073
Net earnings (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests										0
Net earnings attributable to Caleres, Inc.										81,479	82,850	38,073
Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales										1,652,444	1,634,375	1,631,755
Cost of goods sold										905,412	899,968	900,043
Gross profit										747,032	734,407	731,712
Selling and administrative expenses										649,020	633,073	629,405
Restructuring and other special charges, net											0	0
Operating earnings										98,012	101,334	102,307
Interest expense										(1)	(1)	(1)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt										0	0
Interest income										0	0	0
Intercompany interest income (expense)										(14,581)	(12,826)	(13,060)
Gain on sale of subsidiary											0
Earnings before income taxes from continuing operations										83,430	88,507	89,246
Income tax provision										(29,475)	(34,710)	(35,727)
Equity in earnings loss from continuing operations of subsidiaries, net of tax										0	0	0
Net earnings from continuing operations												53,519
Discontinued Operation, Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operation During Phase-out Period, Net of Tax												0
Gain (Loss) on Sale of Assets and Asset Impairment Charges												0
Equity in earnings loss from discontinuing operations of subsidiaries, net of tax												0
Net loss from discontinued operations												0
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest										53,955	53,797	53,519
Net earnings (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests										0
Net earnings attributable to Caleres, Inc.										53,955	53,797	53,519
Non-Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales										268,779	329,765	361,277
Cost of goods sold										162,384	213,716	236,113
Gross profit										106,395	116,049	125,164
Selling and administrative expenses										61,699	75,189	89,745
Restructuring and other special charges, net											0	576
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets to be Disposed of												4,660
Operating earnings										44,696	40,860	30,183
Interest expense												(90)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt										0	0
Interest income										204	348	354
Intercompany interest income (expense)										218	711	(354)
Gain on sale of subsidiary											4,679
Earnings before income taxes from continuing operations										45,118	46,598	30,093
Income tax provision										(6,222)	(3,073)	(8,458)
Equity in earnings loss from continuing operations of subsidiaries, net of tax										(616)	37	(168)
Net earnings from continuing operations												21,467
Discontinued Operation, Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operation During Phase-out Period, Net of Tax												722
Gain (Loss) on Sale of Assets and Asset Impairment Charges												(11,512)
Net loss from discontinued operations												(10,790)
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest										38,280	43,562	10,677
Net earnings (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests										345	93	(177)
Net earnings attributable to Caleres, Inc.										37,935	43,469	10,854
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales										(162,941)	(181,139)	(213,915)
Cost of goods sold										(129,708)	(152,418)	(186,612)
Gross profit										(33,233)	(28,721)	(27,303)
Selling and administrative expenses										(33,233)	(28,721)	(27,303)
Restructuring and other special charges, net											0
Operating earnings											0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt										0
Earnings before income taxes from continuing operations										0	0
Income tax provision											0
Equity in earnings loss from continuing operations of subsidiaries, net of tax										(91,890)	(97,266)	(75,163)
Net earnings from continuing operations												(75,163)
Equity in earnings loss from discontinuing operations of subsidiaries, net of tax												10,790
Net loss from discontinued operations												10,790
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest										(91,890)	(97,266)	(64,373)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests										0
Net earnings attributable to Caleres, Inc.										$ (91,890)	$ (97,266)	$ (64,373)