<?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>0001036230</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BEATTIE E SCOTT</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>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>2016-08-12</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>27972</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>13.91</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1284916</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>2016-08-12</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>38255</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>13.91</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1246661</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>184029</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Family Trusts</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Forfeiture of performance-based restricted stock units granted on August 10, 2015 and December 2, 2015 as a result of the Issuer not achieving specified performance targets for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2016.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes 113,567 service-based restricted stock units and 60,053 performance-based restricted stock units.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Represents shares withheld by the Issuer in satisfaction of tax withholding obligations arising from the vesting of (i) service-based restricted stock units granted on August 12, 2013, August 21, 2014 and August 10, 2015, and (ii) performance-based restricted stock units granted on August 21, 2014, August 10, 2015, and December 2, 2015.  The price reflected is the closing market price of the Issuer's Common Stock on the vesting date, August 12, 2016.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">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>2016-08-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0306
4
2016-08-12
0
0000095052
ELIZABETH ARDEN INC
RDEN
0001036230
BEATTIE E SCOTT
C/O ELIZABETH ARDEN, INC.
880 SW 145 AVENUE, SUITE 200
PEMBROKE PINES
FL
33027
1
1
0
0
Chairman, President & CEO
Common Stock, $.01 par value
2016-08-12
4
D
0
27972
13.91
D
1284916
D
Common Stock, $.01 par value
2016-08-12
4
F
0
38255
13.91
D
1246661
D
Common Stock, $.01 par value
184029
I
Family Trusts
Forfeiture of performance-based restricted stock units granted on August 10, 2015 and December 2, 2015 as a result of the Issuer not achieving specified performance targets for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2016.
Includes 113,567 service-based restricted stock units and 60,053 performance-based restricted stock units.
Represents shares withheld by the Issuer in satisfaction of tax withholding obligations arising from the vesting of (i) service-based restricted stock units granted on August 12, 2013, August 21, 2014 and August 10, 2015, and (ii) performance-based restricted stock units granted on August 21, 2014, August 10, 2015, and December 2, 2015.  The price reflected is the closing market price of the Issuer's Common Stock on the vesting date, August 12, 2016.
Shares held in family trust of which Reporting Person's spouse is trustee, and spouse and minor children are beneficiaries.
E. Scott Beattie
2016-08-16