<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2013-08-12</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000095052</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ELIZABETH ARDEN INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>RDEN</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001143801</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SMITH STEPHEN J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O ELIZABETH ARDEN, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>2400 SW 145 AVENUE, 2ND FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MIRAMAR</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>FL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>33027</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>EVP &amp; Chief Financial Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2013-06-27</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>G</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>95597</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2013-08-12</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2942</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>35</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>88021</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2013-08-12</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>6400</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>94421</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>35</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2013-08-12</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>6700</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2023-08-12</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>6700</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>6700</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Shares gifted to unaffiliated third party.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Represents shares withheld by the Issuer in satisfaction of tax withholding obligations arising from the vesting of service-based restricted stock granted on August 16, 2010 and November 2, 2010, and (ii) service-based restricted stock units granted on August 15, 2011 and August 13, 2012.  The price reflected is the closing market price of the Issuer's Common Stock on the vesting date, August 12, 2013.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">This grant of service-based restricted stock units will vest in equal thirds over a three-year period on the dates that are two business days following the public announcement of the Issuer's financial results for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2014, 2015 and 2016 (each a &quot;Vesting Date&quot;), but only if the Reporting Person is still employed with the Issuer on the applicable Vesting Date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Includes 12,033 shares of service-based restricted stock units.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">This stock option shall become exercisable in equal thirds over a three-year period on each applicable Vesting Date, but only if the Reporting Person is still employed with the Issuer on the applicable Vesting Date.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Stephen J. Smith</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2013-08-13</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0306
4
2013-08-12
0
0000095052
ELIZABETH ARDEN INC
RDEN
0001143801
SMITH STEPHEN J
C/O ELIZABETH ARDEN, INC.
2400 SW 145 AVENUE, 2ND FLOOR
MIRAMAR
FL
33027
0
1
0
0
EVP & Chief Financial Officer
Common Stock, $.01 par value
2013-06-27
4
G
0
1000
0
D
95597
D
Common Stock, $.01 par value
2013-08-12
4
F
0
2942
35
D
88021
D
Common Stock, $.01 par value
2013-08-12
4
A
0
6400
0
A
94421
D
Stock Option (Right to Buy)
35
2013-08-12
4
A
0
6700
0
A
2023-08-12
Common Stock, $.01 par value
6700
6700
D
Shares gifted to unaffiliated third party.
Represents shares withheld by the Issuer in satisfaction of tax withholding obligations arising from the vesting of service-based restricted stock granted on August 16, 2010 and November 2, 2010, and (ii) service-based restricted stock units granted on August 15, 2011 and August 13, 2012.  The price reflected is the closing market price of the Issuer's Common Stock on the vesting date, August 12, 2013.
This grant of service-based restricted stock units will vest in equal thirds over a three-year period on the dates that are two business days following the public announcement of the Issuer's financial results for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2014, 2015 and 2016 (each a "Vesting Date"), but only if the Reporting Person is still employed with the Issuer on the applicable Vesting Date.
Includes 12,033 shares of service-based restricted stock units.
This stock option shall become exercisable in equal thirds over a three-year period on each applicable Vesting Date, but only if the Reporting Person is still employed with the Issuer on the applicable Vesting Date.
Stephen J. Smith
2013-08-13