Note 19 - Financial Information for the Company and its Subsidiaries - Schedule of Condensed Consolidating Statement of Earnings (Loss) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Feb. 01, 2020		Nov. 02, 2019		Aug. 03, 2019		May 04, 2019		Feb. 02, 2019		Nov. 03, 2018		Aug. 04, 2018		May 05, 2018		Feb. 01, 2020	Feb. 02, 2019	Feb. 03, 2018
Net sales	$ 698,948		$ 792,375		$ 752,485		$ 677,754		$ 720,263		$ 775,829		$ 706,612		$ 632,142		$ 2,921,562	$ 2,834,846	$ 2,785,584
Cost of goods sold																	1,737,202	1,678,502	1,616,935
Gross profit	278,810		319,770		305,944		279,836		277,712		310,610		293,101		274,921		1,184,360	1,156,344	1,168,649
Selling and administrative expenses																	1,065,760	1,041,765	1,036,051
Restructuring and other special charges, net																	14,787	16,134	4,915
Operating earnings																	103,813	401	127,683
Interest (expense) income																	33,123	18,277	17,325
Other income (expense)																	(7,903)	(12,308)	(12,348)
Intercompany interest income (expense)																	0	0	0
Earnings (loss) before income taxes																	78,593	(5,754)	122,706
Income tax benefit (provision)																	(16,511)	273	(35,475)
Equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries, net of tax																	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	9	[1]	27,761	[1]	25,227	[1]	9,085	[1]	(75,427)	[1]	29,155	[1]	23,611	[1]	17,180	[1]	62,082	(5,481)	87,231
Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests																	(737)	(40)	31
Net earnings attributable to Caleres, Inc.	$ 408	[1]	$ 27,987	[1]	$ 25,341	[1]	$ 9,083	[1]	$ (75,452)	[1]	$ 29,153	[1]	$ 23,646	[1]	$ 17,212	[1]	62,819	(5,441)	87,200
Impairment of goodwill and intangible assets																	0	98,044	0
Interest (expense) income																	(33,123)	(18,277)	(17,325)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt																	0	(186)	0
Other income, net																	7,903	12,308	12,348
Intercompany interest income (expense)																	0	0	0
Income tax (provision) benefit																	(16,511)	273	(35,475)
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Net sales																	(239,099)	(266,214)	(199,345)
Cost of goods sold																	(200,742)	(222,213)	(162,561)
Gross profit																	(38,357)	(44,001)	(36,784)
Selling and administrative expenses																	(38,357)	(44,001)	(36,784)
Restructuring and other special charges, net																	0	0	0
Operating earnings																	0	0	0
Interest (expense) income																	0	0	0
Other income (expense)																	0	0	0
Intercompany interest income (expense)																	0	0	0
Earnings (loss) before income taxes																	0	0	0
Income tax benefit (provision)																	0	0	0
Equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries, net of tax																	(72,796)	4,809	(99,924)
Net earnings (loss)																	(72,796)	4,809	(99,924)
Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests																	0	0	0
Net earnings attributable to Caleres, Inc.																	(72,796)	4,809	(99,924)
Impairment of goodwill and intangible assets																		0
Interest (expense) income																	0	0	0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt																		0
Other income, net																	0	0	0
Intercompany interest income (expense)																	0	0	0
Income tax (provision) benefit																	0	0	0
Parent Company [Member]
Net sales																	823,620	888,234	837,849
Cost of goods sold																	570,273	619,120	580,038
Gross profit																	253,347	269,114	257,811
Selling and administrative expenses																	239,973	267,584	246,208
Restructuring and other special charges, net																	11,270	9,734	3,942
Operating earnings																	2,104	(8,204)	7,661
Interest (expense) income																	33,126	19,048	17,743
Other income (expense)																	(7,934)	(12,408)	(12,348)
Intercompany interest income (expense)																	(10,799)	(11,436)	(8,354)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes																	(12,289)	(3,594)	10,620
Income tax benefit (provision)																	1,029	1,687	(24,963)
Equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries, net of tax																	74,079	(3,534)	101,543
Net earnings (loss)																	62,819	(5,441)	87,200
Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests																	0	0	0
Net earnings attributable to Caleres, Inc.																	62,819	(5,441)	87,200
Impairment of goodwill and intangible assets																		0
Interest (expense) income																	(33,126)	(19,048)	(17,743)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt																		(186)
Other income, net																	7,934	12,408	12,348
Intercompany interest income (expense)																	10,799	11,436	8,354
Income tax (provision) benefit																	1,029	1,687	(24,963)
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Net sales																	2,072,226	1,975,219	1,935,265
Cost of goods sold																	1,226,445	1,157,558	1,090,354
Gross profit																	845,781	817,661	844,911
Selling and administrative expenses																	794,046	760,754	771,027
Restructuring and other special charges, net																	3,517	6,400	756
Operating earnings																	48,218	50,507	73,128
Interest (expense) income																	104	25	14
Other income (expense)																	0	0	0
Intercompany interest income (expense)																	10,891	11,494	8,813
Earnings (loss) before income taxes																	37,223	38,988	64,301
Income tax benefit (provision)																	(9,476)	(7,719)	(175)
Equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries, net of tax																	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss)																	27,747	31,269	64,126
Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests																	0	0	0
Net earnings attributable to Caleres, Inc.																	27,747	31,269	64,126
Impairment of goodwill and intangible assets																		0
Interest (expense) income																	(104)	(25)	(14)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt																		0
Other income, net																	0	0	0
Intercompany interest income (expense)																	(10,891)	(11,494)	(8,813)
Income tax (provision) benefit																	(9,476)	(7,719)	(175)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Net sales																	264,815	237,607	211,815
Cost of goods sold																	141,226	124,037	109,104
Gross profit																	123,589	113,570	102,711
Selling and administrative expenses																	70,098	57,428	55,600
Restructuring and other special charges, net																	0	0	217
Operating earnings																	53,491	(41,902)	46,894
Interest (expense) income																	(107)	(796)	(432)
Other income (expense)																	31	100	0
Intercompany interest income (expense)																	(92)	(58)	(459)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes																	53,659	(41,148)	47,785
Income tax benefit (provision)																	(8,064)	6,305	(10,337)
Equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries, net of tax																	(1,283)	(1,275)	(1,619)
Net earnings (loss)																	44,312	(36,118)	35,829
Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests																	(737)	(40)	31
Net earnings attributable to Caleres, Inc.																	45,049	(36,078)	35,798
Impairment of goodwill and intangible assets																		98,044
Interest (expense) income																	107	796	432
Loss on early extinguishment of debt																		0
Other income, net																	(31)	(100)	0
Intercompany interest income (expense)																	92	58	459
Income tax (provision) benefit																	$ (8,064)	$ 6,305	$ (10,337)

[1] The fourth quarter of 2019 reflects expense containment initiatives of $11.2 million on an after-tax basis and costs associated with the repositioning of the Via Spiga brand of $1.2 million on an after-tax basis, both of which are further described in Note 5 to the consolidated financial statements, as well as the fair value adjustment to the Blowfish purchase obligation of $1.1 million on an after-tax basis, as further described in Note 2 and Note 15 to the consolidated financial statements.