'Smile of embarrassment' or 'embarrassed smile'?

[99bottles]

'Do you know how to drive a car?'

'I don't think so,' he answered with a smile of embarrassment/an embarrassed smile.

Which of the two is more correct? Or are they both ok?

 

[probus]

They are both okay. My preference is the shorter embarrassed smile. American English also has a profane and vulgar but vivid equivalent: sh*t-eating grin.

 

[emsr2d2]

They are both okay. My preference is the shorter embarrassed smile. American English also has a profane and vulgar but vivid equivalent: sh*t-eating grin.

I never knew that meant an embarrassed smile! I always pictured it more like a Bond villain's evil grin.

 

[Tdol]

Bond aside, I'd go for embarrassed.