Business Acquisitions - Business Acquisition, Supplemental Pro Forma Financial Information (Detail) (PLG [Member], USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 29, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
PLG [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 2,548,200	$ 2,428,300
Net earnings attributable to Wolverine World Wide, Inc.	$ 128,600	$ 80,390

The pro forma net Income or Loss for the period as if the business combination or combinations had been completed at the beginning of a period.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 805

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (h)(2)-(3)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7659399&loc=d3e1392-128463

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration