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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2015-12-02</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>2015-12-02</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>G</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3150</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1295847</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>2015-12-02</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>54391</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1350238</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>177729</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Family Trust</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F6"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Transfer to Family Trust.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes 194,934 service-based restricted stock units and 68,476 performance-based restricted stock units.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">This grant of performance-based restricted stock units (PBRSU) represents the portion of the Reporting Person's typical annual long-term incentive award for the Issuer's fiscal year ended June 30, 2016, for which there were not sufficient shares remaining available under the Issuer's 2010 Stock Award and Incentive Plan (the Plan).  This grant was approved by the Compensation Committee in August 2015, subject to shareholder approval at the 2015 annual shareholders meeting of an amendment to the Plan increasing the number of shares available for issuance under the Plan. The amendment was approved by the shareholders on December 2, 2015.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The actual number of shares of common stock payable pursuant to this grant shall be determined based on the Issuer's achievement of specified financial targets for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2016, and such shares shall be issuable in three equal annual installments 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 each applicable Vesting Date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Includes 194,934 service-based restricted stock units and 122,867 performance-based restricted stock units.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">Shares held in family trust of which Reporting Person's spouse is trustee, and spouse and minor children are beneficiaries.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>E. Scott Beattie</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2015-12-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
[{"type": "4", "sequence": "1", "filename": "primary_doc.xml", "description": "PRIMARY DOCUMENT", "secsgml_size_bytes": 7370}]
X0306
4
2015-12-02
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
2015-12-02
4
G
0
3150
0
D
1295847
D
Common Stock, $.01 par value
2015-12-02
4
A
0
54391
0
A
1350238
D
Common Stock, $.01 par value
177729
I
Family Trust
Transfer to Family Trust.
Includes 194,934 service-based restricted stock units and 68,476 performance-based restricted stock units.
This grant of performance-based restricted stock units (PBRSU) represents the portion of the Reporting Person's typical annual long-term incentive award for the Issuer's fiscal year ended June 30, 2016, for which there were not sufficient shares remaining available under the Issuer's 2010 Stock Award and Incentive Plan (the Plan).  This grant was approved by the Compensation Committee in August 2015, subject to shareholder approval at the 2015 annual shareholders meeting of an amendment to the Plan increasing the number of shares available for issuance under the Plan. The amendment was approved by the shareholders on December 2, 2015.
The actual number of shares of common stock payable pursuant to this grant shall be determined based on the Issuer's achievement of specified financial targets for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2016, and such shares shall be issuable in three equal annual installments 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 each applicable Vesting Date.
Includes 194,934 service-based restricted stock units and 122,867 performance-based restricted stock units.
Shares held in family trust of which Reporting Person's spouse is trustee, and spouse and minor children are beneficiaries.
E. Scott Beattie
2015-12-03