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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2015-08-10</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001604565</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>LITTLE ROD R</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O ELIZABETH ARDEN, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>2400 SW 145 AVENUE</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 and CFO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2015-08-10</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1476</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>9.63</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>11524</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2015-08-10</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>37400</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>48924</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2015-08-10</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>20800</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>69724</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F6"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>9.63</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2015-08-10</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>46400</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F7"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2025-08-10</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>46400</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>46400</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>9.63</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2015-08-10</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>87000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F8"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2025-08-10</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>87000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>87000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <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 21, 2014. The price reflected is the closing market price of the Issuer's Common Stock on the vesting date, August 10, 2015.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes 8,667 service-based restricted stock units.</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, 2016, 2017 and 2018 (each a &quot;Vesting Date&quot;), but, subject to certain exceptions, only if the Reporting Person is still employed with the Issuer on the applicable Vesting Date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Includes 46,067 service-based restricted stock units.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">This grant of service-based restricted stock units will vest in full on the date that is two business days following the public announcement of the Issuer's financial results for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018, but, subject to certain exceptions, only if the Reporting Person is still employed by the Issuer on the applicable vesting date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">Includes 66,867 service-based restricted stock units.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">This stock option shall become exercisable in equal thirds over a three-year period on each applicable Vesting Date, but, subject to certain exceptions, only if the Reporting Person is still employed with the Issuer on the applicable Vesting Date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F8">This stock option shall become exercisable in full on the date that is two business days following the public announcement of the Issuer's financial results for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018, but, subject to certain exceptions, only if the Reporting Person is still employed by the Issuer on the applicable vesting date.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Beatriz L. Koltis, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2015-08-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
[{"type": "4", "sequence": "1", "filename": "primary_doc.xml", "description": "PRIMARY DOCUMENT", "secsgml_size_bytes": 12685}]
X0306
4
2015-08-10
0
0000095052
ELIZABETH ARDEN INC
RDEN
0001604565
LITTLE ROD R
C/O ELIZABETH ARDEN, INC.
2400 SW 145 AVENUE
MIRAMAR
FL
33027
0
1
0
0
EVP and CFO
Common Stock, $.01 par value
2015-08-10
4
F
0
1476
9.63
D
11524
D
Common Stock, $.01 par value
2015-08-10
4
A
0
37400
0
A
48924
D
Common Stock, $.01 par value
2015-08-10
4
A
0
20800
0
A
69724
D
Stock Option (Right to Buy)
9.63
2015-08-10
4
A
0
46400
0
A
2025-08-10
Common Stock, $.01 par value
46400
46400
D
Stock Option (Right to Buy)
9.63
2015-08-10
4
A
0
87000
0
A
2025-08-10
Common Stock, $.01 par value
87000
87000
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 21, 2014. The price reflected is the closing market price of the Issuer's Common Stock on the vesting date, August 10, 2015.
Includes 8,667 service-based restricted stock units.
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, 2016, 2017 and 2018 (each a "Vesting Date"), but, subject to certain exceptions, only if the Reporting Person is still employed with the Issuer on the applicable Vesting Date.
Includes 46,067 service-based restricted stock units.
This grant of service-based restricted stock units will vest in full on the date that is two business days following the public announcement of the Issuer's financial results for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018, but, subject to certain exceptions, only if the Reporting Person is still employed by the Issuer on the applicable vesting date.
Includes 66,867 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, subject to certain exceptions, only if the Reporting Person is still employed with the Issuer on the applicable Vesting Date.
This stock option shall become exercisable in full on the date that is two business days following the public announcement of the Issuer's financial results for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018, but, subject to certain exceptions, only if the Reporting Person is still employed by the Issuer on the applicable vesting date.
Beatriz L. Koltis, Attorney-in-Fact
2015-08-12