What's a better adjective for someone who is not wearing a suit coat?

November 3, 2009 8:54 AM

Adjective-Filter! What's a good adjective to describe someone who is not wearing a suit coat?

I'm writing a paper on group dynamics, and the president of my observed group is one of the few members to not wear a suit coat. I'm drawing parallels to President Obama's similar appearance, but the best adjective I can use to do so is the rather boring unencumbered. The reverse dictionaries I've tried are no help, and seem to think that I'm looking for synonyms for evening wear.

Is there anything better out there that means "jacket-less"?

posted by niles to writing & language (10 comments total)

Casual/ business-casual
posted by Think_Long at 8:55 AM on November 3, 2009 [1 favorite]

In shirtsleeves.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 8:56 AM on November 3, 2009 [5 favorites]

Jacketless is a word, for what it's worth.
posted by grouse at 8:56 AM on November 3, 2009

The Admiral has it. It's called "in shirtsleeves."
posted by turducken at 8:57 AM on November 3, 2009

in shirt-sleeves
posted by chavenet at 8:57 AM on November 3, 2009

pipped by the Admiral.
posted by chavenet at 8:58 AM on November 3, 2009

I came to say 'in shirtsleeves'.
posted by anastasiav at 9:28 AM on November 3, 2009

"In shirtsleeves" it is. Thanks, everyone!
posted by niles at 9:37 AM on November 3, 2009

This is your chance! Tshirtised, stripeshirtised, blueshirtised or plainshirtised, maybe even shirtified (if the jacket has been taken away for good). Decoated. Unsuited, in certain circumstances. Caught off-jacket. Out jacketsleeves, in fact, too.
posted by Namlit at 10:31 AM on November 3, 2009 [1 favorite]

And since I got the MeMail reminder to follow up, you will all be happy to know that I scored a 107% on my paper. I believe a good 38.4% of that was due to my excellent adjective usage. Thanks, hivemind!
posted by niles at 3:38 PM on December 3, 2009