CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment Retained Earnings	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment Total Caleres, Inc.	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Accumulated Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income	Retained Earnings	Total Caleres, Inc.	Noncontrolling Interest	Total
BALANCE (Accounting Standards Update 2016-02) at Feb. 02, 2019	$ (13,436)	$ (13,436)	$ (13,436)
BALANCE at Feb. 02, 2019				$ 419	$ 145,889	$ (31,601)	$ 519,346	$ 634,053	$ 1,382	$ 635,435
BALANCE (in shares) at Feb. 02, 2019				41,886,562
Net earnings (loss)							62,411	62,411	(338)	62,073
Foreign currency translation adjustment						(363)		(363)	(34)	(397)
Gain (Loss) Recognized in OCL on Derivatives						361		361		361
Pension and other postretirement benefits adjustments, net of tax						1,285		1,285		1,285
Comprehensive income (loss)						1,283	62,411	63,694	(372)	63,322
Contributions by noncontrolling interests								0	1,500	1,500
Dividends							(8,631)	(8,631)		(8,631)
Acquisition of treasury stock				$ (16)			(31,152)	(31,168)		(31,168)
Acquisition of treasury stock (in shares)				(1,588,741)
Issuance of common stock under share-based plans, net				$ 3	(2,608)			(2,605)		(2,605)
Issuance of common stock under share-based plans, net (in shares)				295,466
Share-based compensation expense					8,933			8,933		8,933
BALANCE at Nov. 02, 2019				$ 406	152,214	(30,318)	528,538	650,840	2,510	653,350
BALANCE (in shares) at Nov. 02, 2019				40,593,287
BALANCE at Aug. 03, 2019				$ 407	149,881	(31,405)	504,546	623,429	1,249	624,678
BALANCE (in shares) at Aug. 03, 2019				40,720,927
Net earnings (loss)							27,987	27,987	(226)	27,761
Foreign currency translation adjustment						595		595	(13)	582
Gain (Loss) Recognized in OCL on Derivatives						63		63		63
Pension and other postretirement benefits adjustments, net of tax						429		429		429
Comprehensive income (loss)						1,087	27,987	29,074	(239)	28,835
Contributions by noncontrolling interests									1,500	1,500
Dividends							(2,823)	(2,823)		(2,823)
Acquisition of treasury stock				$ (1)			(1,172)	(1,173)		(1,173)
Acquisition of treasury stock (in shares)				(58,263)
Issuance of common stock under share-based plans, net				$ 0	(58)			(58)		(58)
Issuance of common stock under share-based plans, net (in shares)				(69,377)
Share-based compensation expense					2,391			2,391		2,391
BALANCE at Nov. 02, 2019				$ 406	152,214	(30,318)	528,538	650,840	2,510	653,350
BALANCE (in shares) at Nov. 02, 2019				40,593,287
BALANCE (Accounting Standards Update 2016-13) at Feb. 01, 2020	$ (2,146)	$ (2,146)	$ (2,146)
BALANCE at Feb. 01, 2020				$ 404	153,489	(31,843)	523,900	645,950	3,180	649,130
BALANCE (in shares) at Feb. 01, 2020				40,396,757
Net earnings (loss)							(362,138)	(362,138)	223	(361,915)
Foreign currency translation adjustment						(490)		(490)	81	(409)
Gain (Loss) Recognized in OCL on Derivatives						92		92		92
Pension and other postretirement benefits adjustments, net of tax						1,057		1,057		1,057
Comprehensive income (loss)						659	(362,138)	(361,479)	304	(361,175)
Contributions by noncontrolling interests								0	1,500	1,500
Dividends							(8,148)	(8,148)		(8,148)
Acquisition of treasury stock				$ (29)			(23,319)	(23,348)		(23,348)
Acquisition of treasury stock (in shares)				(2,902,122)
Issuance of common stock under share-based plans, net				$ 4	(1,082)			(1,078)		(1,078)
Issuance of common stock under share-based plans, net (in shares)				449,539
Share-based compensation expense					6,920			6,920		6,920
BALANCE at Oct. 31, 2020				$ 379	159,327	(31,184)	128,149	256,671	4,984	261,655
BALANCE (in shares) at Oct. 31, 2020				37,944,174
BALANCE at Aug. 01, 2020				$ 379	156,913	(31,437)	116,385	242,240	2,894	245,134
BALANCE (in shares) at Aug. 01, 2020				37,912,156
Net earnings (loss)							14,417	14,417	509	14,926
Foreign currency translation adjustment						320		320	81	401
Gain (Loss) Recognized in OCL on Derivatives										0
Pension and other postretirement benefits adjustments, net of tax						(67)		(67)		(67)
Comprehensive income (loss)						253	14,417	14,670	590	15,260
Contributions by noncontrolling interests								0	1,500	1,500
Dividends							(2,653)	(2,653)		(2,653)
Issuance of common stock under share-based plans, net				$ 0	(104)			(104)		(104)
Issuance of common stock under share-based plans, net (in shares)				32,018
Share-based compensation expense					2,518			2,518		2,518
BALANCE at Oct. 31, 2020				$ 379	$ 159,327	$ (31,184)	$ 128,149	$ 256,671	$ 4,984	$ 261,655
BALANCE (in shares) at Oct. 31, 2020				37,944,174