Basis of Presentation (Policies)	6 Months Ended
Basis of Presentation (Policies)	Jul. 29, 2017
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of Chico’s FAS, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”) have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and do not include all of the information and notes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. (“U.S. GAAP”) for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, such interim financial statements reflect all normal, recurring adjustments considered necessary to present fairly the condensed consolidated financial position, the results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods presented. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.
New Accounting Pronouncements	Adoption of New Accounting Pronouncements In the first quarter of 2017, we adopted the guidance of Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) 2016-09, Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting, which simplifies several aspects of the accounting for employee share-based payment transactions, including the accounting for income taxes, forfeitures, and statutory tax withholding requirements, as well as classification in the statement of cash flows. The provision of ASU 2016-09 related to the recognition of excess tax benefits and deficiencies in the income statement was adopted on a prospective basis whereas the provision related to the classification in the statement of cash flows was adopted retrospectively and the prior periods were adjusted accordingly. The Company has elected to continue estimating forfeitures of share-based awards when determining compensation cost to be recognized each period. The adoption of ASU 2016-09 did not have a material impact on the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements. New Accounting Pronouncements In October 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued ASU No. 2016-16, Accounting for Income Taxes: Intra-Entity Asset Transfers of Assets Other than Inventory. ASU 2016-16 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2017. ASU 2016-16 requires companies to recognize the income tax effects of intercompany sales or transfers of other assets in the income statement as income tax expense (benefit) in the period the sale or transfer occurs. Additionally, companies would evaluate whether the tax effects of the intercompany sales of transfers of non-inventory assets should be included in their estimates of annual effective tax rates by using today's interim guidance on income tax accounting. ASU 2016-16 will require modified retrospective transition with a cumulative catch-up adjustment to opening retained earnings in the period of adoption, which we expect to implement in fiscal 2018. At July 29, 2017, the Company had $6.0 million in assets related to the transfer of intra–entity asset transfers. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases, which replaces the existing guidance in Accounting Standard Codification 840, Leases. ASU 2016-02 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2018 and should be applied on a modified retrospective basis. ASU 2016-02 requires a dual approach for lessee accounting under which a lessee would account for leases as finance leases or operating leases. Both finance leases and operating leases will result in the lessee recognizing a right-of-use asset and corresponding lease liability. For finance leases, the lessee would recognize interest expense and amortization of the right-of-use asset and for operating leases, the lessee would recognize straight-line total rent expense. Upon adoption of the standard in fiscal 2019, we expect to record material right–of–use assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet approximating the present value of future lease payments. In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-01, Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities, under which entities will no longer be able to recognize unrealized holding gains and losses on equity securities they classify as available-for-sale in other comprehensive income but instead recognize the change in fair value in net income. The standard is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. We do not anticipate adoption to have a material impact to our consolidated financial statements. In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. The update outlines a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific guidance. ASU 2014-09 requires entities to recognize revenue in a way that depicts the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration the entity expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. In August 2015, the FASB approved a one year deferral of the effective date, to make it effective for annual and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. The standard allows for either a full retrospective or a modified retrospective transition method. The FASB has issued subsequent ASUs related to ASU No. 2014-09, which detail amendments to the ASU, implementation considerations, narrow-scope improvements and practical expedients. Through our evaluation of the impact of this ASU, we have identified certain changes that are expected to be made to our accounting policies, practices, systems and controls including: the timing of our recognition of advertising expenses, whereby certain expenses that are currently amortized over their expected period of future benefit will be expensed the first time the advertisement appears, and presentation of estimated merchandise returns as both an asset, equal to the inventory value net of processing costs, and a corresponding return liability, compared to the current practice of recording an estimated net return liability. The Company is also evaluating and identifying appropriate changes to internal control over financial reporting in connection with preparation for adoption of this ASU. We plan to adopt this ASU under the modified retrospective approach beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2018 with a cumulative adjustment to retained earnings as opposed to retrospectively adjusting prior periods. We are continuing to evaluate the impact this ASU, and related amendments and interpretive guidance, will have on our consolidated financial statements.
Fair Value Measurements	Fair Value Measurements Our financial instruments consist of cash, money market accounts, marketable securities, assets held in our non-qualified deferred compensation plan, accounts receivable and payable, and debt. Cash, accounts receivable and accounts payable are carried at cost, which approximates their fair value due to the short-term nature of the instruments.