Financial Information For The Company And Its Subsidiaries (Schedule Of Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Aug. 03, 2013	Feb. 02, 2013	Jul. 28, 2012	Jan. 28, 2012
Percentage of Guarantors owned by Parent	100.00%
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 53,137	$ 68,223	$ 47,397	$ 47,682
Receivables, net	120,054	111,392	107,534
Inventories, net	615,916	503,688	585,969
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	51,845	42,016	44,425
Current assets – discontinued operations	1,661	47,109	66,655
Total current assets	842,613	772,428	851,980
Other assets	113,764	119,695	135,790
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	76,688	79,703	77,729
Non current assets – discontinued operations		54,577	55,155
Property and equipment, net	147,955	144,856	133,520
Investment in subsidiaries
Total assets	1,181,020	1,171,259	1,254,174
Liabilities and Equity
Borrowings under revolving credit agreement	23,000	105,000	116,000
Trade accounts payable	309,806	213,660	284,190
Other accrued expenses	143,735	137,190	142,215
Current liabilities – discontinued operations	3,536	13,259	16,688
Total current liabilities	480,077	469,109	559,093
Other liabilities
Long-term debt	198,917	198,823	198,726
Other liabilities	75,625	70,430	80,044
Intercompany payable (receivable)
Non current liabilities – discontinued operations		6,996	8,613
Total other liabilities	274,542	276,249	287,383
Equity
Brown Shoe Company, Inc. shareholders' equity	425,718	425,129	406,901
Noncontrolling interests	683	772	797
Total equity	426,401	425,901	407,698
Total liabilities and equity	1,181,020	1,171,259	1,254,174
Parent [Member]
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents				(4,386)
Receivables, net	86,129	67,571	77,006
Inventories, net	128,503	92,683	109,014
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	54,017	14,523	40,646
Current assets – discontinued operations	1,638	5,447	21,182
Total current assets	270,287	180,224	247,848
Other assets	97,053	99,527	116,254
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	57,514	37,270	39,402
Property and equipment, net	26,637	27,931	23,470
Investment in subsidiaries	839,981	765,729	829,881
Total assets	1,291,472	1,110,681	1,256,855
Liabilities and Equity
Borrowings under revolving credit agreement	23,000	105,000	116,000
Trade accounts payable	77,854	53,350	71,212
Other accrued expenses	65,241	51,751	59,806
Current liabilities – discontinued operations	3,488	3,754	10,288
Total current liabilities	169,583	213,855	257,306
Other liabilities
Long-term debt	198,917	198,823	198,726
Other liabilities	24,049	17,042	32,563
Intercompany payable (receivable)	473,205	256,977	362,584
Non current liabilities – discontinued operations		(1,145)	(1,225)
Total other liabilities	696,171	471,697	592,648
Equity
Brown Shoe Company, Inc. shareholders' equity	425,718	425,129	406,901
Noncontrolling interests
Total equity	425,718	425,129	406,901
Total liabilities and equity	1,291,472	1,110,681	1,256,855
Guarantors [Member]
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	32,793	32,060	30,760	34,332
Receivables, net	2,014	6,593	7,156
Inventories, net	477,659	394,468	461,135
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	(860)	26,524	1,224
Current assets – discontinued operations		41,553	45,425
Total current assets	511,606	501,198	545,700
Other assets	16,110	19,320	18,688
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	19,174	19,901	15,600
Non current assets – discontinued operations		1,652	1,810
Property and equipment, net	118,878	108,224	101,042
Investment in subsidiaries	31,336	91,136	70,656
Total assets	697,104	741,431	753,496
Liabilities and Equity
Borrowings under revolving credit agreement
Trade accounts payable	193,996	118,096	179,634
Other accrued expenses	73,883	78,293	73,339
Current liabilities – discontinued operations		9,396	6,348
Total current liabilities	267,879	205,785	259,321
Other liabilities
Long-term debt
Other liabilities	50,559	48,986	43,742
Intercompany payable (receivable)	(461,315)	(389,774)	(379,128)
Non current liabilities – discontinued operations		(2,328)	(320)
Total other liabilities	(410,756)	(343,116)	(335,706)
Equity
Brown Shoe Company, Inc. shareholders' equity	839,981	878,762	829,881
Noncontrolling interests
Total equity	839,981	878,762	829,881
Total liabilities and equity	697,104	741,431	753,496
Non-Guarantors [Member]
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	20,344	36,163	16,637	17,736
Receivables, net	31,911	37,228	23,372
Inventories, net	9,754	16,537	15,820
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	(1,312)	969	2,555
Current assets – discontinued operations	23	109	48
Total current assets	60,720	91,006	58,432
Other assets	601	848	848
Goodwill and intangible assets, net		22,532	22,727
Non current assets – discontinued operations		52,925	53,345
Property and equipment, net	2,440	8,701	9,008
Investment in subsidiaries		113,033
Total assets	63,761	289,045	144,360
Liabilities and Equity
Borrowings under revolving credit agreement
Trade accounts payable	37,956	42,214	33,344
Other accrued expenses	4,611	7,146	9,070
Current liabilities – discontinued operations	48	109	52
Total current liabilities	42,615	49,469	42,466
Other liabilities
Long-term debt
Other liabilities	1,017	4,402	3,739
Intercompany payable (receivable)	(11,890)	132,797	16,544
Non current liabilities – discontinued operations		10,469	10,158
Total other liabilities	(10,873)	147,668	30,441
Equity
Brown Shoe Company, Inc. shareholders' equity	31,336	91,136	70,656
Noncontrolling interests	683	772	797
Total equity	32,019	91,908	71,453
Total liabilities and equity	63,761	289,045	144,360
Eliminations [Member]
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents
Receivables, net
Inventories, net
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
Current assets – discontinued operations
Total current assets
Other assets
Goodwill and intangible assets, net
Property and equipment, net
Investment in subsidiaries	(871,317)	(969,898)	(900,537)
Total assets	(871,317)	(969,898)	(900,537)
Liabilities and Equity
Borrowings under revolving credit agreement
Trade accounts payable
Other accrued expenses
Current liabilities – discontinued operations
Total current liabilities
Other liabilities
Long-term debt
Other liabilities
Intercompany payable (receivable)
Total other liabilities
Equity
Brown Shoe Company, Inc. shareholders' equity	(871,317)	(969,898)	(900,537)
Noncontrolling interests
Total equity	(871,317)	(969,898)	(900,537)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (871,317)	$ (969,898)	$ (900,537)