This photo shows the Retrenchment Dress required by each young woman to wear. The dress was designed by Brigham Young and worn by his daughters. They didn’t like it much, but what could they do? If you can track down a copy of the video, “Pioneers in Petticoats”, you’ll be able to see the Retrenchment dress in action.

The following articles, from the Women’s Exponent, are written by various sisters giving their thoughts on the goals and purposes of this association.  It was formed for all the women, but most likely with an idea to train the young women in their future role not only as mother, but as a woman of God, knowledgeable, proactive, and strong.  I’ve drawn excerpts from these various articles.

“The word retrenchment has a great meaning than many of us realize.  It embraces all that is Godly and all that is necessary for the salvation and perfection of the Daughters of Zion.  There is a great responsibility that rests upon our shoulders.  Who are the ones to carry out the purposes of the almighty?  Is it those who follow the fashions of Babylon and who have not the Spirit of God in their hearts?  No, it is the retrenchment girls who are now scorned by those who do not know and understand our aims, nor what we are striving to do, but let us not be discouraged for we know we are carrying out the requirements of heaven.  Let our motto be ‘The kingdom of God or nothing.’  We have a wide field before us, and no time to spare or spend foolishly; I think the time is nigh at hand, when each one will have to know for themselves that this is the work of God or they will be liable to fall by the wayside.  Do not get weary in well doing, for we have great things to live for, there is a prize at the end of the race.  Let us show by our acts that we are saints in word, thought, and action.  We will be looked to for example by those whose minds are dark as midnight, who have not oil in their lamps nor the spirit of God in their hearts.  Retrenchment girls have every advantage that is necessary to make them pure and noble women.  We have set our mark high and let us not cease our exertions until we have attained it.”

These are editorials sent to the editor of the Women’s Exponent:

“The question has often presented itself to my mind, do our girls realize the precipice on which they stand, or the danger they are in, when they encourage the attentions of those who are not of us?  I never see or think of them, but I feel to say girls beware of the outside elements, and shun them as you would serpents in your path, for it is not love they bear you, or yours, but destruction they would like to see come on the people of God; and destroy that which some of our best men have shed their blood for.  Girls, obey your parents in all things; remember they have had more experience in the world than you have; never allow false ideas to hold you from seeking your mother’s counsel, or confiding in her.”

Do we feel as strongly?

“Now if I understand the object of this association, it is to retrench in every idle thought, word and action as far as possible, and to strive to overcome our timidity in rising to express our thoughts and ideas one to another.  I believe we have in our ward young ladies with as good ideas and sentiments as there are in any ward in the city, who are willing and anxious to learn that which is intended to instruct and benefit them, but have never expressed their feelings outwardly.  Some of us have an idea that if we join this society, we must retrench in our dress.  Now I think there are many other things we can retrench in beside dress.  I will leave it to the young ladies to ask themselves if they cannot see room for improvement in our manners, in our everyday life.”

Maybe we should look at the example we are setting for our daughters.

“In the first place, we never realized our positions or mission on the earth until these institutions were brought forth by the inspiration of heaven.  Can we imagine what would have been the condition of the Daughters of Zion today had not the Lord in His mercy conferred this blessing upon us.  A continual growth in the things of God can be observed in those who have been faithful to their duties in these societies from the first.  They have learned to govern self, and have, to a great degree, gained power over the evil propensities of their nature, and temptations of daily life, have learned to seek the good of their fellow creatures, and have proven that their greatest happiness consists in ministering to the comforts of others.   We have learned that heaven must be begun at home, that if we ever truly enjoy a heaven, we must exert all our powers to assist in making it ourselves, and help establish the principles of truth and righteousness upon the earth, that there may be a people prepared for the Second Coming.  We can also comprehend something of charity of which Paul speaks ‘which suffereth long and is kind’.  We are taught to keep the Spirit of God continually with us, to purify our every thought and feeling, that we may have claim upon the blessings of the Lord.  The instructions we receive include everything that is pure, noble and exalting, and are calculated to make those who accept them and carry them out in their lives great and mighty women in the kingdom of God.  Dear sisters, let us receive and rejoice in the opportunities given us through the Retrenchment Associations, which will, if improved, bring us knowledge and happiness both here and hereafter.”

Brigham Young was concerned that women were leaving Church early to go home to fix a fancy meal after Sunday service. He also felt the women were more concerned with wearing fancy clothing than reading their scriptures, etc. He felt they should retrench their standards. (Retrench means to pull back, tighten your grasp on something.) He asked Mary Isabella Horne if she would organize a “Retrenchment Association for the older women. Soon after it was decided to organize the young girls into their own Retrenchment, so there became a Senior Retrenchment and Junior Retrenchment. The Senior group eventually became the General Relief Society Board and the Junior group became the Young Ladies Mutual Improvement Association, or Young Women’s Organization.