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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-09-07</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001227092</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>TATHAM WILLIAM M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O ELIZABETH ARDEN, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>880 SW 145 AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PEMBROKE PINES</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>FL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>33027</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-09-07</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>19235</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-09-07</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>4555</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Thru Spouse</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-09-07</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>950</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Family Trust</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>13.88</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-09-07</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>6000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2018-11-12</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>6000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>13.48</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-09-07</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>6000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2019-11-12</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>6000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Includes 5,700 service-based restricted stock units (&quot;SBRSU&quot;).  Pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated June 16, 2016 (the &quot;Merger Agreement&quot;) by and among the Issuer and Revlon, Inc., Revlon Consumer Products Corporation, and RR Transaction Corp., on September 7, 2016 (the &quot;Closing Date&quot;) (i) each share of the Issuer's common stock, par value $.01 per share (&quot;Common Stock&quot;) held by the Reporting Person immediately prior to the Effective Time (as defined in the Merger Agreement), was converted into the right to receive $14.00 in cash per share, less any required withholding taxes; and (ii) each SBRSU held by the Reporting Person subject to vesting conditions became fully vested, was canceled, and was converted into the right to receive $14.00 in cash for each SBRSU, less any required withholding taxes.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Shares held by Reporting Person's spouse, which were converted into the right to receive $14.00 per share, less any required withholding taxes, pursuant to the Merger Agreement.  Reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of these shares.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Shares held by Tatham Family Holdings II, Ltd., which were converted into the right to receive $14.00 per share, less any required withholding taxes, pursuant to the Merger Agreement. Reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of these shares.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, on the Closing Date, each of the Issuer's outstanding stock options, whether vested or unvested, was canceled and exchanged for the right to receive a cash payment equal to the product of (i) the number of shares of the Issuer's Common Stock subject to the option multiplied by (ii) the excess (if any) of $14.00 over the per share exercise price of the option, less any required withholding taxes.  Each outstanding stock option that had an exercise price that was equal to or greater than $14.00 was canceled for no consideration.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>WILLIAM M. TATHAM</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-09-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0306
4
2016-09-07
1
0000095052
ELIZABETH ARDEN INC
RDEN
0001227092
TATHAM WILLIAM M
C/O ELIZABETH ARDEN, INC.
880 SW 145 AVENUE
PEMBROKE PINES
FL
33027
1
0
0
0
Common Stock, $.01 par value
2016-09-07
4
D
0
19235
D
0
D
Common Stock, $.01 par value
2016-09-07
4
D
0
4555
D
0
I
Thru Spouse
Common Stock, $.01 par value
2016-09-07
4
D
0
950
D
0
I
Family Trust
Stock Option (Right to Buy)
13.88
2016-09-07
4
D
0
6000
D
2018-11-12
Common Stock, $.01 par value
6000
0
D
Stock Option (Right to Buy)
13.48
2016-09-07
4
D
0
6000
D
2019-11-12
Common Stock, $.01 par value
6000
0
D
Includes 5,700 service-based restricted stock units ("SBRSU").  Pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated June 16, 2016 (the "Merger Agreement") by and among the Issuer and Revlon, Inc., Revlon Consumer Products Corporation, and RR Transaction Corp., on September 7, 2016 (the "Closing Date") (i) each share of the Issuer's common stock, par value $.01 per share ("Common Stock") held by the Reporting Person immediately prior to the Effective Time (as defined in the Merger Agreement), was converted into the right to receive $14.00 in cash per share, less any required withholding taxes; and (ii) each SBRSU held by the Reporting Person subject to vesting conditions became fully vested, was canceled, and was converted into the right to receive $14.00 in cash for each SBRSU, less any required withholding taxes.
Shares held by Reporting Person's spouse, which were converted into the right to receive $14.00 per share, less any required withholding taxes, pursuant to the Merger Agreement.  Reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of these shares.
Shares held by Tatham Family Holdings II, Ltd., which were converted into the right to receive $14.00 per share, less any required withholding taxes, pursuant to the Merger Agreement. Reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of these shares.
Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, on the Closing Date, each of the Issuer's outstanding stock options, whether vested or unvested, was canceled and exchanged for the right to receive a cash payment equal to the product of (i) the number of shares of the Issuer's Common Stock subject to the option multiplied by (ii) the excess (if any) of $14.00 over the per share exercise price of the option, less any required withholding taxes.  Each outstanding stock option that had an exercise price that was equal to or greater than $14.00 was canceled for no consideration.
WILLIAM M. TATHAM
2016-09-08