Bonta's poem moves through four small scenes, each tied to what the speaker is wearing. In an old, comfortable suit, the speaker's usual response is simply to dance, as if familiarity gives a kind of ease. In a "new disappointment," though, the mood shifts: the speaker goes blank, like a messenger who carries news without owning it. The title's joke about "dressing up for a dressing-down" suggests a scolding or letdown, and the poem seems to treat disappointment as something you put on like a garment.
The third stanza turns more reflective. Dressed or not, after a little dancing, clothes seem to cover very little. The last stanza settles into quiet, with the speaker lying down "in our stockings and drawers" while the clothes themselves sleep. The mood is wry, tender, and a bit tired. It moves from movement to stillness, and from outer costume to a simpler, more exposed human state, with a gentle humor running underneath.