Supplemental Guarantor Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Feb. 02, 2013	Jan. 28, 2012	Jan. 29, 2011	Feb. 02, 2013 Third Party Sourcing Business [Member]	Jan. 28, 2012 Third Party Sourcing Business [Member]	Jan. 29, 2011 Third Party Sourcing Business [Member]	Feb. 02, 2013 Express [Member]	Jan. 28, 2012 Express [Member]	Jan. 29, 2011 Express [Member]	Feb. 02, 2013 Limited Stores [Member]	Jan. 28, 2012 Limited Stores [Member]	Jan. 29, 2011 Limited Stores [Member]	Feb. 02, 2013 Easton Investment [Member]	Jan. 28, 2012 Easton Investment [Member]	Jan. 29, 2011 Easton Investment [Member]	Feb. 02, 2013 Limited Brands, Inc. [Member]	Jan. 28, 2012 Limited Brands, Inc. [Member]	Jan. 29, 2011 Limited Brands, Inc. [Member]	Feb. 02, 2013 Limited Brands, Inc. [Member] Third Party Sourcing Business [Member]	Jan. 29, 2011 Limited Brands, Inc. [Member] Express [Member]	Jan. 29, 2011 Limited Brands, Inc. [Member] Limited Stores [Member]	Feb. 02, 2013 Limited Brands, Inc. [Member] Easton Investment [Member]	Feb. 02, 2013 Guarantor Subsidiaries	Jan. 28, 2012 Guarantor Subsidiaries	Jan. 29, 2011 Guarantor Subsidiaries	Feb. 02, 2013 Guarantor Subsidiaries Third Party Sourcing Business [Member]	Jan. 29, 2011 Guarantor Subsidiaries Express [Member]	Jan. 29, 2011 Guarantor Subsidiaries Limited Stores [Member]	Feb. 02, 2013 Guarantor Subsidiaries Easton Investment [Member]	Feb. 02, 2013 Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries	Jan. 28, 2012 Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries	Jan. 29, 2011 Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries	Feb. 02, 2013 Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries Third Party Sourcing Business [Member]	Jan. 29, 2011 Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries Express [Member]	Jan. 29, 2011 Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries Limited Stores [Member]	Feb. 02, 2013 Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries Easton Investment [Member]	Feb. 02, 2013 Eliminations	Jan. 28, 2012 Eliminations	Jan. 29, 2011 Eliminations	Feb. 02, 2013 Eliminations Third Party Sourcing Business [Member]	Jan. 29, 2011 Eliminations Express [Member]	Jan. 29, 2011 Eliminations Limited Stores [Member]	Feb. 02, 2013 Eliminations Easton Investment [Member]
Net Cash Provided by (Used for) Operating Activities	$ 1,351,000,000	$ 1,266,000,000	$ 1,284,000,000													$ (99,000,000)	$ 73,000,000	$ (355,000,000)					$ 986,000,000	$ 978,000,000	$ 1,206,000,000					$ 464,000,000	$ 215,000,000	$ 433,000,000					$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Investing Activities
Capital Expenditures	(588,000,000)	(426,000,000)	(274,000,000)													0	0	0					(344,000,000)	(219,000,000)	(129,000,000)					(244,000,000)	(207,000,000)	(145,000,000)					0	0	0
Return of Capital				22,000,000	0	0	0	0	49,000,000	0	0	7,000,000	13,000,000	0	0				0	0	0	0				0	0	0	0				22,000,000	49,000,000	7,000,000	13,000,000				0	0	0	0
Proceeds from Sale of Assets	11,000,000	0	0													0							9,000,000							2,000,000							0
Proceeds from Divestiture	0	124,000,000	0							0	0	32,000,000					0				0			78,000,000				0			46,000,000				32,000,000			0				0
Proceeds from Sales of Express Common Stock		99,000,000	73,000,000														0	0						0	0						99,000,000	73,000,000						0	0
Net Investments in Consolidated Affiliates	0	0	0													0	0	0					36,000,000	(36,000,000)	0					0	0	29,000,000					(36,000,000)	36,000,000	(29,000,000)
Other Investing Activities	11,000,000	(23,000,000)	7,000,000													0	0	0					8,000,000	0	0					3,000,000	(23,000,000)	7,000,000					0	0	0
Net Cash Provided by (Used for) Investing Activities	(531,000,000)	(226,000,000)	(106,000,000)													0	0	0					(291,000,000)	(177,000,000)	(129,000,000)					(204,000,000)	(85,000,000)	52,000,000					(36,000,000)	36,000,000	(29,000,000)
Financing Activities
Proceeds from Long-term Debt, Net of Issuance Costs	985,000,000	981,000,000	390,000,000													985,000,000	981,000,000	390,000,000					0	0	0					0	0	0					0	0	0
Payments of Long-term Debt	(57,000,000)	0	(645,000,000)													(57,000,000)		(645,000,000)					0		0					0		0					0		0
Financing Costs		(7,000,000)	(14,000,000)														(7,000,000)	(14,000,000)						0	0						0	0						0	0
Repurchase of Common Stock	(629,000,000)	(1,190,000,000)	(207,000,000)													(629,000,000)	(1,190,000,000)	(207,000,000)					0	0	0					0	0	0					0	0	0
Dividends Paid	(1,449,000,000)	(1,144,000,000)	(1,488,000,000)													(1,449,000,000)	(1,144,000,000)	(1,488,000,000)					0	0	0					0	0	0					0	0	0
Excess Tax Benefits from Share-based Compensation	116,000,000	48,000,000	19,000,000													0	0	0					95,000,000	39,000,000	15,000,000					21,000,000	9,000,000	4,000,000					0	0	0
Net Financing Activities and Advances to/from Consolidated Affiliates	0	0	0													1,197,000,000	1,212,000,000	2,231,000,000					(744,000,000)	(1,170,000,000)	(1,832,000,000)					(489,000,000)	(6,000,000)	(428,000,000)					36,000,000	(36,000,000)	29,000,000
Proceeds From Stock Options Exercised And Other	52,000,000	75,000,000	88,000,000													52,000,000	75,000,000	88,000,000					0	0	0					0	0	0					0	0	0
Net Cash Provided by (Used for) Financing Activities	(982,000,000)	(1,237,000,000)	(1,857,000,000)													99,000,000	(73,000,000)	355,000,000					(649,000,000)	(1,131,000,000)	(1,817,000,000)					(468,000,000)	3,000,000	(424,000,000)					36,000,000	(36,000,000)	29,000,000
Effects of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash	0	2,000,000	5,000,000													0	0	0					0	0	0					0	2,000,000	5,000,000					0	0	0
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents	(162,000,000)	(195,000,000)	(674,000,000)													0	0	0					46,000,000	(330,000,000)	(740,000,000)					(208,000,000)	135,000,000	66,000,000					0	0	0
Cash and Cash Equivalents, Beginning of Year	935,000,000	1,130,000,000	1,804,000,000													0	0	0					371,000,000	701,000,000	1,441,000,000					564,000,000	429,000,000	363,000,000					0	0	0
Cash and Cash Equivalents, End of Year	$ 773,000,000	$ 935,000,000	$ 1,130,000,000													$ 0	$ 0	$ 0					$ 417,000,000	$ 371,000,000	$ 701,000,000					$ 356,000,000	$ 564,000,000	$ 429,000,000					$ 0	$ 0	$ 0