v2.4.1.9

Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities (Changes In Workers' Compensation And General Liability Reserves) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | 12 Months Ended
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Jan. 31, 2015 | Feb. 01, 2014 | Feb. 02, 2013
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities, Current [Abstract] |  |  |
Balance, beginning of year | $ 497 us-gaap_WorkersCompensationLiabilityCurrentAndNoncurrent | $ 497 us-gaap_WorkersCompensationLiabilityCurrentAndNoncurrent | $ 493 us-gaap_WorkersCompensationLiabilityCurrentAndNoncurrent
Expense for workers compensation and general liability reserves | 160 m_Expenseforworkerscompensationandgeneralliabilityreserves | 147 m_Expenseforworkerscompensationandgeneralliabilityreserves | 157 m_Expenseforworkerscompensationandgeneralliabilityreserves
Payments of workers compensation and general liability reserves | (152)m_Paymentsofworkerscompensationandgeneralliabilityreserves | (147)m_Paymentsofworkerscompensationandgeneralliabilityreserves | (153)m_Paymentsofworkerscompensationandgeneralliabilityreserves
Balance, end of year | $ 505 us-gaap_WorkersCompensationLiabilityCurrentAndNoncurrent | $ 497 us-gaap_WorkersCompensationLiabilityCurrentAndNoncurrent | $ 497 us-gaap_WorkersCompensationLiabilityCurrentAndNoncurrent

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- Definition Expense for workers compensation and general liability reserves + References No definition available. + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | m_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Payments of workers compensation and general liability reserves + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | m_Paymentsofworkerscompensationandgeneralliabilityreserves
Namespace Prefix: | m_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

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- Details
Name: | us-gaap_AccountsPayableAndAccruedLiabilitiesCurrentAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of obligations and payables pertaining to claims incurred of a workers compensation nature. + 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 210.9-03.15(5)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.15(a)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 15 -Subparagraph a -Article 7 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 15 -Subparagraph 5 -Article 9 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_WorkersCompensationLiabilityCurrentAndNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant