Debt (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Apr. 28, 2012	Jan. 28, 2012	Apr. 30, 2011
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Revolving credit facility expiration date	Mar. 01, 2016
Unsecured senior notes	$ 150,000,000	$ 150,000,000	$ 150,000,000
Unsecured senior notes estimated fair value	186,000,000
Series A Unsecured Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured senior notes	85,000,000
Unsecured senior notes due date	Dec. 01, 2018
Unsecured senior notes interest rate	6.38%
Series B Unsecured Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured senior notes	65,000,000
Unsecured senior notes due date	Dec. 01, 2021
Unsecured senior notes interest rate	6.53%
Unsecured Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Borrowing capacity for revolving credit facility	600,000,000
Sublimit for issuance of standby letters of credit	$ 300,000,000
Basis points margin over LIBOR	1.50%