Merida wears two different dresses in the film. Her everyday dress is simple and functional, inspired by the lèine, a long tunic commonly worn in medieval Scotland (Scottish Tartans Museum, n.d.). Its simple form suits her free, adventurous nature. Queen Elinor, on the other hand, wears richly decorated dresses with heavy fabrics, reflecting her royal status and preference for order and tradition. Both costumes reference medieval and Celtic clothing styles.
During important events, such as the contest in which potential suitors compete for Merida's hand in marriage, Merida wears a special satin dress which also has a meaning behind it. The film shows how Merida’s mother laced her into a corset and dressed her in this extremely tight dress. This tight dress represents the standards her mother wants her to live up to. When Merida later decides to show off her archery skills during the contest, she rips the dress to give herself some elbow room. This moment illustrates Merida breaking free from the standards imposed on her and choosing her own fate (Staff, 2012).
Merida rips her dress © Disney/Pixar