Restructuring and Other Charges (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended						12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended									12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	Jan. 28, 2012	Oct. 29, 2011	Jul. 30, 2011	Apr. 30, 2011	Jan. 29, 2011	Oct. 30, 2010	Jul. 31, 2010	May 01, 2010	Jan. 28, 2012	Jan. 29, 2011	Jan. 30, 2010	Jan. 28, 2012 Fiscal 2011 Announcements [Member] Store Impairment Charges [Member]	Jan. 28, 2012 Fiscal 2011 Announcements [Member] Under-performing stores [Member] Store Impairment Charges [Member]	Jan. 28, 2012 Fiscal 2011 Announcements [Member] Closing of stores [Member] Under-performing stores [Member]	Jan. 28, 2012 Fiscal 2011 Announcements [Member] Closing of stores [Member] Under-performing stores [Member] Lease termination charges [Member]	Jan. 28, 2012 Fiscal 2011 Announcements [Member] Transformational initiatives [Member]	Jan. 28, 2012 Fiscal 2010 Announcements [Member] Closing of stores [Member] Under-performing stores [Member]	Jan. 29, 2011 Fiscal 2010 Announcements [Member] Closing of stores [Member] Under-performing stores [Member]	Jan. 28, 2012 Fiscal 2010 Announcements [Member] Closing of stores [Member] Under-performing stores [Member] Non-cash impairment charge for CATHERINES stores in outlet locations [Member]	Jan. 29, 2011 Fiscal 2010 Announcements [Member] Closing of stores [Member] Under-performing stores [Member] Non-cash impairment charge for CATHERINES stores in outlet locations [Member]	Jan. 28, 2012 Fiscal 2010 Announcements [Member] Closing of stores [Member] Under-performing stores [Member] Lease termination charges [Member]	Jan. 28, 2012 Fiscal 2010 Announcements [Member] Severance for departure of former CEO [Member]	Jan. 30, 2010 Fiscal 2009 Announcements [Member] Store Impairment Charges [Member]	Jan. 28, 2012 Fiscal 2009 Announcements [Member] PETITE SOPHISTICATE OUTLET stores [Member] Non-cash accelerated depreciation [Member]	Jan. 28, 2012 Fiscal 2009 Announcements [Member] PETITE SOPHISTICATE OUTLET stores [Member] Lease termination charges [Member]	Jan. 28, 2012 Fiscal 2009 Announcements [Member] Closing of stores [Member] Under-performing stores [Member]	Jan. 30, 2010 Fiscal 2009 Announcements [Member] Closing of stores [Member] Under-performing stores [Member]	Jan. 28, 2012 Fiscal 2009 Announcements [Member] Closing of stores [Member] Under-performing stores [Member] Lease termination charges [Member]	Jan. 28, 2012 Fiscal 2009 Announcements [Member] Closing of stores [Member] PETITE SOPHISTICATE OUTLET stores [Member] Other non-cash costs [Member]	Jan. 28, 2012 Fiscal 2009 Announcements [Member] Closing of stores [Member] PETITE SOPHISTICATE OUTLET stores [Member] Lease termination charges [Member]	Jan. 31, 2009 Fiscal 2007 and Fiscal 2008 Announcements [Member] Closing of stores [Member] Under-performing stores [Member]	Jan. 28, 2012 Fiscal 2007 and Fiscal 2008 Announcements [Member] Closing of stores [Member] Under-performing stores [Member] Lease termination charges [Member]	Jan. 28, 2012 Fiscal 2007 and Fiscal 2008 Announcements [Member] Lease termination and accretion charges [Member]	Jan. 30, 2010 Fiscal 2007 and Fiscal 2008 Announcements [Member] Lease termination and accretion charges [Member]	Jan. 28, 2012 Fiscal 2007 and Fiscal 2008 Announcements [Member] Severance, retention, and other costs [Member]	Jan. 28, 2012 Fiscal 2007 and Fiscal 2008 Announcements [Member] Non-core misses apparel assets [Member] Lease termination charges [Member]	Jan. 28, 2012 Fiscal 2007 and Fiscal 2008 Announcements [Member] Non-core misses apparel assets [Member] Other costs [Member]	Jan. 28, 2012 Fiscal 2007 and Fiscal 2008 Announcements [Member] Transformational initiatives [Member] Severance and retention costs [Member]	Jan. 31, 2009 Fiscal 2007 and Fiscal 2008 Announcements [Member] Shutdown of LANE BRYANT WOMAN Catalog [Member]	Jan. 31, 2009 Fiscal 2007 and Fiscal 2008 Announcements [Member] Elimination of Positions Other [Member]
Accrued restructuring and other charges [Roll Forward]
Accrued as of beginning of period				$ 11,755,000					$ 11,755,000						$ 0	$ 0					$ 619,000	$ 1,910,000						$ 485,000		$ 599,000		$ 798,000				$ 7,074,000	$ 153,000	$ 117,000
Costs incurred during the period									12,249,000						2,345,000	6,194,000					1,465,000	0						2,249,000		0		0				(18,000)	0	14,000
Payments/settlements during the period									(12,310,000)						(1,002,000)	(3,980,000)					(1,423,000)	(1,122,000)						(983,000)		(436,000)		(333,000)				(2,900,000)	0	(131,000)
Accrued as of end of period	11,694,000				11,755,000				11,694,000	11,755,000					1,343,000	2,214,000					661,000	788,000						1,751,000		163,000		465,000				4,156,000	153,000	0
Restructuring and Other Charges [Abstract]
Restructuring and other costs incurred as of beginning of period	35,679,000								35,679,000				0		0	0	0		3,210,000			2,898,000		612,000	1,070,000			2,691,000	195,000			8,305,000	11,575,000		5,123,000
Costs incurred during the period	6,354,000	3,450,000	1,387,000	47,000	4,034,000	3,234,000	619,000	889,000	11,238,000	8,776,000	31,719,000		654,000		2,254,000	6,194,000	208,000		0	3,210,000		0		0	0			1,932,000	0			0	(18,000)	11,141,000	14,000
Restructuring and other costs expected to be incurred	9,868,000								9,868,000				0		0	3,813,000	4,200,000		0			0		0	0			300,000	0			0	1,555,000		0
Total estimated/actual costs as of end of period	56,785,000								56,785,000				654,000		2,254,000	10,007,000	4,408,000		3,210,000			2,898,000		612,000	1,070,000			4,923,000	195,000			8,305,000	13,112,000		5,137,000
Number of Stores Identified as Impaired										157	89	18											89
Number of stores expected to close														18				215													100
Number of stores expected to close lower limit																											40
Number of stores expected to close upper limit																											50
Stores expected to close within one year																	30
Stores Closed During Year Under Restructuring Plan																	200
Remainder of Announced Stores Expected to Close in Future																										26
Inventory Markdown Allowance																																							$ 4,220,000
Restructuring and Related Cost, Number of Positions Eliminated																																							100	225