I Always Do My Collars First

“I Always Do My Collars First: A Film About Ironing,” was released through the University of Louisiana @ Lafayette’s Cinematic Arts Workshop. It came out a while ago and I’d heard a lot about it, but I just recently got a chance to watch it myself.
The film follows four dynamic Cajun women in Southwestern Louisiana in their daily lives and illustrates exactly what ironing means to each of them. It delivers “an artful and unexpectedly intriguing view of what is often overlooked as a mundane chore” (from the website).
The film is both funny and very touching. “Ironing is a nurturing, emotional, and learned activity transmitted from mothers to daughters,” explains folklore student and the film’s writer, Conni Castille. “It’s performed with aesthetic sensibilities that tie these women to other women in their communities.”
The film examines the lives of the four main characters (Rookie, Gay, Aunt Be, and Georgie) as they recall helping their mothers through the laborious process of doing laundry in the 30s and 40s. For many Cajun women who grew up poor, crisply ironed clothes were a source of great pride. “Following the four Breaux Bridge women from baptisms to funerals, Catholic masses and Cajun dances, the film shows how the ordinary, intimate ritual of ironing is woven into the fabric of family life.”
I was born and raised in Louisiana, and I can’t imagine ever leaving for too long; this film reminds me why. While I especially appreciate it because it’s set in my homestate, I think everyone can relate to it. Some of my fondest memories are of my mother instructing me on the art of cooking gumbo or red beans or my grandmother showing me the right way to, yes, iron.
It may seem painfully cliche or even oppressive–female bonding through (what else?) cooking and cleaning, but I will always cherish those memories.
You can see a clip of the movie here.
Another film released through the Cinematic Arts Workshop was “Raised on Rice and Gravy“, about plate lunch houses in Lafayette. It’s another great film that reminds me how unique and wonderful a place Louisiana is.
I think they’re both worth checking out. Hope you enjoy!