Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Total	Common Stock [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss [Member]
Balance at Jan. 31, 2009	$ 774,845	$ 1,175	$ (804,561)	$ 504,552	$ 1,088,984	$ (15,305)
Treasury stock (in shares) at Jan. 31, 2009			36,180,000
Balance (in shares) at Jan. 31, 2009		81,315,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	200,369	0	0	0	200,369	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)
Amortization of pension, net of tax	1,740	0	0	0	0	1,740
Valuation adjustment of pension, net of tax	430					430
Comprehensive income	202,539	0	0	0	0	0
Purchases of common shares	(1,849)	0	(1,849)	0	0	0
Purchases of common shares, (in shares)		(87,000)	87,000
Exercise of stock options	4,931	0	8,045	(3,114)	0	0
Exercise of stock options (in shares)	(361,560)	362,000	(362,000)
Restricted shares vested	0	0	7,291	(7,291)	0	0
Restricted shares vested, (in shares)		328,000	(328,000)
Tax benefit from share-based awards	559	0	0	559	0	0
Share activity related to deferred compensation plan	112	0	32	80	0	0
Share activity related to deferred compensation plan (in shares)		4,000	(4,000)
Share-based employee compensation expense	20,275	0	0	20,275	0	0
Balance at Jan. 30, 2010	1,001,412	1,175	(791,042)	515,061	1,289,353	(13,135)
Treasury stock (in shares) at Jan. 30, 2010			35,573,000
Balance (in shares) at Jan. 30, 2010		81,922,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	222,524	0	0	0	222,524	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)
Amortization of pension, net of tax	1,328	0	0	0	0	1,328
Valuation adjustment of pension, net of tax	1,337	0	0	0	0	1,337
Comprehensive income	225,189	0	0	0	0	0
Purchases of common shares	(350,823)	0	(350,823)	0	0	0
Purchases of common shares, (in shares)		(10,686,000)	10,686,000
Exercise of stock options	32,512	0	42,285	(9,773)	0	0
Exercise of stock options (in shares)	(1,807,850)	1,808,000	(1,808,000)
Restricted shares vested	0	0	20,437	(20,437)	0	0
Restricted shares vested, (in shares)		847,000	(847,000)
Tax benefit from share-based awards	13,779	0	0	13,779	0	0
Share activity related to deferred compensation plan	96	0	13	83	0	0
Share activity related to deferred compensation plan (in shares)		3,000	(3,000)
Share-based employee compensation expense	24,628	0	0	24,628	0	0
Balance at Jan. 29, 2011	946,793	1,175	(1,079,130)	523,341	1,511,877	(10,470)
Treasury stock (in shares) at Jan. 29, 2011	43,601,000		43,601,000
Balance (in shares) at Jan. 29, 2011	73,894,000	73,894,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	207,064	0	0	0	207,064	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)
Foreign currency translation	(1,050)	0	0	0	0	(1,050)
Amortization of pension, net of tax	1,066	0	0	0	0	1,066
Valuation adjustment of pension, net of tax	(5,065)	0	0	0	0	(5,065)
Comprehensive income	202,015	0	0	0	0	0
Purchases of common shares	(363,957)	0	(363,957)	0	0	0
Purchases of common shares, (in shares)		(11,063,000)	11,063,000
Exercise of stock options	10,409	0	12,800	(2,391)	0	0
Exercise of stock options (in shares)	(500,085)	500,000	(500,000)
Restricted shares vested	0	0	6,731	(6,731)	0	0
Restricted shares vested, (in shares)		271,000	(271,000)
Tax benefit from share-based awards	2,701	0	0	2,701	0	0
Share activity related to deferred compensation plan	279	0	32	247	0	0
Share activity related to deferred compensation plan (in shares)		7,000	(7,000)
Share-based employee compensation expense	24,993	0	0	24,993	0	0
Balance at Jan. 28, 2012	$ 823,233	$ 1,175	$ (1,423,524)	$ 542,160	$ 1,718,941	$ (15,519)
Treasury stock (in shares) at Jan. 28, 2012	53,886,000		53,886,000
Balance (in shares) at Jan. 28, 2012	63,609,000	63,609,000