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

    <schemaVersion>X0304</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2011-08-15</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>2400 SW 145 AVENUE, 2ND FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MIRAMAR</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>FL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>33027</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>E.V.P., G.C. &amp; Secretary</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-08-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1863</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>31.78</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>66035</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-08-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>4400</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>61635</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-08-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2800</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>64435</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>31.78</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-08-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2800</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2012-08-15</value>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2021-08-15</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>2800</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2800</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <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 granted on August 18, 2008, August 17, 2009, August 16, 2010 and November 2, 2010.  The price reflected is the closing market price of the Issuer's Common Stock on the vesting date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Forfeiture of performance-based restricted stock granted on August 18, 2008 as a result of the Issuer not achieving cumulative earnings per share targets during the measurement period of July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2011.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">This grant of service-based restricted stock units will vest in equal thirds 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, 2012, 2013 and 2014 (each a &quot;Vesting Date&quot;), but only if the Reporting Person is still employed with the Issuer on the applicable Vesting Date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">This stock option shall become exercisable in equal thirds over a three-year period on each applicable Vesting Date, but only if the Reporting Person is still employed with the Issuer on the applicable Vesting Date.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Oscar E. Marina</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-08-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0304
4
2011-08-15
0
0000095052
ELIZABETH ARDEN INC
RDEN
0001132299
MARINA OSCAR E
C/O ELIZABETH ARDEN, INC.
2400 SW 145 AVENUE, 2ND FLOOR
MIRAMAR
FL
33027
0
1
0
0
E.V.P., G.C. & Secretary
Common Stock, $.01 par value
2011-08-15
4
F
0
1863
31.78
D
66035
D
Common Stock, $.01 par value
2011-08-15
4
D
0
4400
0
D
61635
D
Common Stock, $.01 par value
2011-08-15
4
A
0
2800
0
A
64435
D
Stock Option (Right to Buy)
31.78
2011-08-15
4
A
0
2800
0
A
2012-08-15
2021-08-15
Common Stock, $.01 par value
2800
2800
D
Represents shares withheld by the Issuer in satisfaction of tax withholding obligations arising from the vesting of service-based restricted stock granted on August 18, 2008, August 17, 2009, August 16, 2010 and November 2, 2010.  The price reflected is the closing market price of the Issuer's Common Stock on the vesting date.
Forfeiture of performance-based restricted stock granted on August 18, 2008 as a result of the Issuer not achieving cumulative earnings per share targets during the measurement period of July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2011.
This grant of service-based restricted stock units will vest in equal thirds 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, 2012, 2013 and 2014 (each a "Vesting Date"), but only if the Reporting Person is still employed with the Issuer on the applicable Vesting Date.
This stock option shall become exercisable in equal thirds over a three-year period on each applicable Vesting Date, but only if the Reporting Person is still employed with the Issuer on the applicable Vesting Date.
Oscar E. Marina
2011-08-16