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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-08-12</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001650109</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>WONG JuE</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O ELIZABETH ARDEN, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>880 SW 145 AVENUE, SUITE 200</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PEMBROKE PINES</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>FL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>33027</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>President-ElizabethArden Brand</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-08-12</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5785</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>13.91</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>36315</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents shares withheld by the Issuer in satisfaction of tax withholding obligations arising from the vesting of service-based restricted stock units granted on August 10, 2015. The price reflected is the closing market price of the Issuer's Common Stock on the vesting date, August 12, 2016.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes 28,067 service-based restricted stock units.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>JuE Wong</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-08-15</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0306
4
2016-08-12
0
0000095052
ELIZABETH ARDEN INC
RDEN
0001650109
WONG JuE
C/O ELIZABETH ARDEN, INC.
880 SW 145 AVENUE, SUITE 200
PEMBROKE PINES
FL
33027
0
1
0
0
President-ElizabethArden Brand
Common Stock, $.01 par value
2016-08-12
4
F
0
5785
13.91
D
36315
D
Represents shares withheld by the Issuer in satisfaction of tax withholding obligations arising from the vesting of service-based restricted stock units granted on August 10, 2015. The price reflected is the closing market price of the Issuer's Common Stock on the vesting date, August 12, 2016.
Includes 28,067 service-based restricted stock units.
JuE Wong
2016-08-15