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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-08-12</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001132299</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MARINA OSCAR E</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O ELIZABETH ARDEN, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>880 SW 145 AVENUE, SUITE 200</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PEMBROKE PINES</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>FL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>33027</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>EVP, Gen. Counsel &amp; Secretary</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-08-12</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1952</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>13.91</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>62205</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents shares withheld by the Issuer in satisfaction of tax withholding obligations arising from the vesting of service-based restricted stock units granted on August 13, 2012, August 12, 2013, and August 21, 2014. The price reflected is the closing market price of the Issuer's Common Stock on the vesting date, August 10, 2015.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes 9,967 service-based restricted stock units.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Beatriz L. Koltis, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-08-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0306
4
2016-08-12
0
0000095052
ELIZABETH ARDEN INC
RDEN
0001132299
MARINA OSCAR E
C/O ELIZABETH ARDEN, INC.
880 SW 145 AVENUE, SUITE 200
PEMBROKE PINES
FL
33027
0
1
0
0
EVP, Gen. Counsel & Secretary
Common Stock, $.01 par value
2016-08-12
4
F
0
1952
13.91
D
62205
D
Represents shares withheld by the Issuer in satisfaction of tax withholding obligations arising from the vesting of service-based restricted stock units granted on August 13, 2012, August 12, 2013, and August 21, 2014. The price reflected is the closing market price of the Issuer's Common Stock on the vesting date, August 10, 2015.
Includes 9,967 service-based restricted stock units.
Beatriz L. Koltis, Attorney-in-Fact
2016-08-16