Significant Accounting Policies Narrative (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 28, 2012 week stores	Jan. 29, 2011 week	Jan. 30, 2010 week	Jan. 31, 2009
Fiscal Year
Operating Cycle	52-53 week
Fiscal Year End Date	January 28, 2012	January 29, 2011	January 30, 2010
Number of Weeks in Each Fiscal Year	52	52	52
Seasonality
4th Quarter Sales as Percentage of Annual Net Sales	35.00%	37.00%	36.00%
4th Quarter Net Income as Percentage of Annual Net Income	45.00%	48.00%	50.00%
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and Cash Equivalents	$ 87,230,000	$ 80,979,000	$ 21,853,000	$ 122,875,000
Franchise Fees
Number of Franchise Stores	15
Franchise Stores as Percentage of Total Store Base	3.00%
Landlord Contribution
Operating Leases, Rent Expense, Net	8,200,000	8,000,000	7,600,000
Catalog
Prepaid Advertising	800,000	1,100,000
Marketing and Advertising Expense
Marketing Expense	70,000,000	57,100,000	49,500,000
Catalog Production Costs	6,200,000	5,900,000	5,700,000
Long-lived Assets
Asset Impairment Charges	300,000	1,200,000	1,600,000
Impaired Stores, Property, Plant and Equipment, Aggregate Fair Value	300,000	200,000	300,000
Net Sales
Reserve for Sales Returns	2,600,000	2,400,000	2,000,000
Equity Compensation
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Vesting Period, Minimum	1
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Vesting Period, Maximum	3
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period, Total Fair Value	2,600,000	2,500,000
Stock Granted During Period, Value, Share-based Compensation, Net of Forfeitures	3,200,000	3,400,000
Allocated Share-based Compensation Expense	2,500,000	1,200,000
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Tax Benefit from Compensation Expense	$ 1,000,000	$ 500,000