Contract Term

No definition available.

Name:	aeo_ContractTerm
Namespace Prefix:	aeo_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	aeo_DebtDisclosureLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	aeo_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Debt Instrument Replaced Amount

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	aeo_DebtInstrumentReplacedAmount
Namespace Prefix:	aeo_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of Financial Institution

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	aeo_NumberOfFinancialInstitution
Namespace Prefix:	aeo_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The total amount of the contingent obligation under letters of credit outstanding as of the reporting date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.16)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 20, 22

-Article 5

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.16)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCredit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Description of the frequency of periodic payments, which may be presented in a variety of ways (for example, monthly, quarterly, annually).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(b),22(b))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 22

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityFrequencyOfPayments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Description of the interest rate for the amounts borrowed under the credit facility, including the terms and the method for determining the interest rate (for example, fixed or variable, LIBOR plus a percentage, increasing rate, timing of interest rate resets, remarketing provisions).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityInterestRateDescription
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The fee, expressed as a percentage of the line of credit facility, for available but unused credit capacity under the credit facility.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityUnusedCapacityCommitmentFeePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The carrying amount as of the balance sheet date for the aggregate of other miscellaneous borrowings owed by the reporting entity.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherBorrowings
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Other Credit Arrangements - Additional Information (Detail)				0 Months Ended			0 Months Ended
	Nov. 01, 2014 Entity	Nov. 01, 2014 Demand letter of credit facilities USD ($)	Nov. 01, 2014 Trade Letter of Credit USD ($)	Mar. 02, 2012 Unsecured Revolving Credit Facility	Nov. 01, 2014 Unsecured Revolving Credit Facility USD ($)	Mar. 02, 2012 Unsecured Revolving Credit Facility USD ($)	Mar. 02, 2012 Unsecured Revolving Credit Facility Minimum	Mar. 02, 2012 Unsecured Revolving Credit Facility Maximum	Mar. 02, 2012 Unsecured Revolving Credit Facility LIBOR Minimum	Mar. 02, 2012 Unsecured Revolving Credit Facility LIBOR Maximum	Mar. 02, 2012 Unsecured Revolving Credit Facility Base Rate Minimum	Mar. 02, 2012 Unsecured Revolving Credit Facility Base Rate Maximum	Nov. 01, 2014 Currency Us Dollar Demand letter of credit facilities USD ($)	Nov. 01, 2014 Currency Canadian Dollar Demand letter of credit facilities CAD
Debt Disclosure [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, expiration period				5 years
Borrowing agreements with financial institutions		$ 155,000,000				$ 150,000,000
Credit facility interest rate description				The Credit Agreement has various borrowing options, including rates of interest that are based on (i) an Adjusted London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR” as defined in the Credit Agreement) plus a margin ranging from 1.00% to 1.75% based on a defined leverage ratio, payable at the end of the applicable interest period; and (ii) a Base Rate (as defined in the Credit Agreement), plus a margin ranging from 0.00% to 0.75% based on a defined leverage ratio, payable quarterly.
Frequency of payments for interest on borrowing				Quarterly
Interest rate margin									1.00%	1.75%	0.00%	0.75%
Commitment fee payable on the unused portion of total lender commitments							0.175%	0.30%
Letters of credit outstanding amount					8,200,000
Borrowings					0
Borrowing agreements with financial institutions, replace amount													110,000,000	25,000,000
Borrowing agreements, number of financial institutions	2
Outstanding borrowings			$ 44,600,000