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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-04-13</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000723371</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>HARTMARX CORP/DE</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>HMX</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000922594</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>COLE JEFFREY A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>5055 BRISTOL COURT</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LYNDHURST</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>OH</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>44124</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>DDSA Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-04-13</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2013</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>2013</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>9809.3748</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">1-for-1</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Deferred Director Stock Awards (&quot;DDSAs&quot;) are credits of share units (&quot;Units&quot;) to an account established for each outside director and are awarded pursuant to the issuer's 1995 Stock Plan for Non-Employee Directors (the &quot;Plan&quot;).  Pursuant to the terms of the Plan, on each date of election to the board, DDSA Units valued as of the date of election are granted in an amount equal to the director's annual retainer, currently $20,000.  DDSAs earn dividend equivalents, if any dividends are declared and paid, which dividend equivalents are also credited to the DDSA account as additional Units.  Upon a director's death, disability or termination of service on the board, all Units are paid in shares of common stock equal in number to the number of whole Units, with any fractional Unit paid in cash.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Taras R. Proczko, attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-04-13</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
