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

    <schemaVersion>X0304</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2011-10-26</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001036230</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BEATTIE E SCOTT</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O ELIZABETH ARDEN, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>2400 SW 145 AVENUE, 2ND FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MIRAMAR</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>FL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>33027</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chairman, President &amp; CEO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.01 Par Value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-10-26</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1212</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>11.33</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1128250</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.01 Par Value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-10-26</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1212</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>35</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1127038</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.01 Par Value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-10-27</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>37516</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>11.33</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1164554</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.01 Par Value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-10-27</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>37516</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>35.314</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1127038</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.01 Par Value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>30822</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Thru GRAT</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>11.33</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-10-26</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1212</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2003-03-22</value>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2012-03-22</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock, $.01 Par Value</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1212</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>62516</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>11.33</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-10-27</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>37516</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2003-03-22</value>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2012-03-22</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock, $.01 Par Value</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>37516</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>25000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Partial cashless exercise and sale of a stock option expiring on March 22, 2012, pursuant to a 10b5-1 Trading Plan adopted by the Reporting Person on September 19, 2011.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Reflects the weighted average price of 37,516 shares of common stock of the Issuer sold by the Reporting Person in multiple transactions on October 27, 2011 with the sale price ranging from $35.08 to $35.54 per share.  The Reporting Person undertakes to provide upon request by the Staff of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the Issuer, or a security holder of the Issuer, full information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Total includes 28,300 shares of common stock issuable upon the vesting of service-based restricted stock units.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Stock option vested in three installments on March 22, 2003, March 22, 2004 and March 22, 2005.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>E. SCOTT BEATTIE</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-10-28</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0304
4
2011-10-26
0
0000095052
ELIZABETH ARDEN INC
RDEN
0001036230
BEATTIE E SCOTT
C/O ELIZABETH ARDEN, INC.
2400 SW 145 AVENUE, 2ND FLOOR
MIRAMAR
FL
33027
1
1
0
0
Chairman, President & CEO
Common Stock, $.01 Par Value
2011-10-26
4
M
0
1212
11.33
A
1128250
D
Common Stock, $.01 Par Value
2011-10-26
4
S
0
1212
35
D
1127038
D
Common Stock, $.01 Par Value
2011-10-27
4
M
0
37516
11.33
A
1164554
D
Common Stock, $.01 Par Value
2011-10-27
4
S
0
37516
35.314
D
1127038
D
Common Stock, $.01 Par Value
30822
I
Thru GRAT
Stock Option (Right to Buy)
11.33
2011-10-26
4
M
0
1212
0
D
2003-03-22
2012-03-22
Common Stock, $.01 Par Value
1212
62516
D
Stock Option (Right to Buy)
11.33
2011-10-27
4
M
0
37516
0
D
2003-03-22
2012-03-22
Common Stock, $.01 Par Value
37516
25000
D
Partial cashless exercise and sale of a stock option expiring on March 22, 2012, pursuant to a 10b5-1 Trading Plan adopted by the Reporting Person on September 19, 2011.
Reflects the weighted average price of 37,516 shares of common stock of the Issuer sold by the Reporting Person in multiple transactions on October 27, 2011 with the sale price ranging from $35.08 to $35.54 per share.  The Reporting Person undertakes to provide upon request by the Staff of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the Issuer, or a security holder of the Issuer, full information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price.
Total includes 28,300 shares of common stock issuable upon the vesting of service-based restricted stock units.
Stock option vested in three installments on March 22, 2003, March 22, 2004 and March 22, 2005.
E. SCOTT BEATTIE
2011-10-28