<?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>0001623705</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Buerstedde Franz-Ferdinand</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>630 FIFTH AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 2710</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10111</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>10405</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>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <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, 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">The Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of these securities, and this report shall not be deemed an admission that the Reporting Person is the beneficial owner of the securities for purposes of Section 16 or for any other purpose.  The Reporting Person has an understanding with entities affiliated with Rhone Capital L.L.C. pursuant to which he holds his reported securities for the benefit of entities affiliated with Rhone Capital L.L.C.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>FRANZ-FERDINAND BUERSTEDDE</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-09-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0306
4
2016-09-07
1
0000095052
ELIZABETH ARDEN INC
RDEN
0001623705
Buerstedde Franz-Ferdinand
630 FIFTH AVENUE
SUITE 2710
NEW YORK
NY
10111
1
0
0
0
Common Stock, $.01 par value
2016-09-07
4
D
0
10405
D
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, 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.
The Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of these securities, and this report shall not be deemed an admission that the Reporting Person is the beneficial owner of the securities for purposes of Section 16 or for any other purpose.  The Reporting Person has an understanding with entities affiliated with Rhone Capital L.L.C. pursuant to which he holds his reported securities for the benefit of entities affiliated with Rhone Capital L.L.C.
FRANZ-FERDINAND BUERSTEDDE
2016-09-08