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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-05-07</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001132302</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>THOMAS JW NEVIL</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>ELIZABETH ARDEN, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>2400 SW 145 AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MIRAMAR</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>2007-05-07</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>4000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>23.7</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>12065</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-05-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>23.55</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>8119</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-05-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1861</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>23.75</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>6258</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-05-09</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1139</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>23.61</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>5119</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>167200</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Shares owned by Sandringham Capital Services Corp., a company controlled by Mr. Thomas.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes the following shares indirectly owned by Mr. Thomas:  (i) 137,425 shares of common stock held by Marchoak, Inc., a company owned by Mayfront Trust, of which Mr. Thomas' spouse is one of four trustees, (ii) 3,594 shares of common stock held in trusts for the benefit of Mr. Thomas' children and for which he serves as co-trustee with his spouse, (iii) 2,925 shares of common stock owned by Mr. Thomas' spouse, and (iv) 23,256 shares of common stock owned by S.E.T. Holdings Corporation, a corporation controlled by Mr. Thomas' spouse.  Mr. Thomas disclaims beneficial ownership as to the shares of common stock owned by his spouse, Marchoak, Inc., the trusts of which he and his spouse serve as trustees and S.E.T. Holdings Corporation.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>J.W. Nevil Thomas</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-05-09</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0202
4
2007-05-07
0
0000095052
ELIZABETH ARDEN INC
RDEN
0001132302
THOMAS JW NEVIL
ELIZABETH ARDEN, INC.
2400 SW 145 AVENUE
MIRAMAR
FL
33027
1
0
0
0
Common Stock, $.01 par value
2007-05-07
4
S
0
4000
23.7
D
12065
D
Common Stock, $.01 par value
2007-05-08
4
S
0
3000
23.55
D
8119
I
See Footnote
Common Stock, $.01 par value
2007-05-08
4
S
0
1861
23.75
D
6258
I
See Footnote
Common Stock, $.01 par value
2007-05-09
4
S
0
1139
23.61
D
5119
I
See Footnote
Common Stock, $.01 par value
167200
I
See Footnote
Shares owned by Sandringham Capital Services Corp., a company controlled by Mr. Thomas.
Includes the following shares indirectly owned by Mr. Thomas:  (i) 137,425 shares of common stock held by Marchoak, Inc., a company owned by Mayfront Trust, of which Mr. Thomas' spouse is one of four trustees, (ii) 3,594 shares of common stock held in trusts for the benefit of Mr. Thomas' children and for which he serves as co-trustee with his spouse, (iii) 2,925 shares of common stock owned by Mr. Thomas' spouse, and (iv) 23,256 shares of common stock owned by S.E.T. Holdings Corporation, a corporation controlled by Mr. Thomas' spouse.  Mr. Thomas disclaims beneficial ownership as to the shares of common stock owned by his spouse, Marchoak, Inc., the trusts of which he and his spouse serve as trustees and S.E.T. Holdings Corporation.
J.W. Nevil Thomas
2007-05-09