styling, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

styling n.

1. showing off, acting ostentatiously.

1967		M. Ali in Olsen Black is Best 16: ‘I have become so popular at my poetry and my styling until anyone associated with me becomes world famous’.
1972		Milner & Milner Black Players 44: The pimp who is ‘taking care of business’ [...] leaves the stylin’ (strutting and showing off) to what he calls ‘half-ass pimps’ and ‘would-be pimps’.
1985		T.R. Houser Central Sl. 50: stylin’ A consciousness of looking good and of showing it off.
1997		Simon & Burns Corner (1998) 14: If we’re hardcore soldiering, we could do with some military styling.
2005		L. Redhead Rubdown [ebook] I sidled up and spoke into his ear. ‘Stylin’’.

2. (US campus) doing well, succeeding, academically as well as socially.

1989

P. Munro Sl. U.

styling and profiling (n.) [profile v.]

(US black/campus) posing as a cool, sophisticated individual, and backing that image with smart, fashionable clothes.

1988		Eble Campus Sl. Mar.
1999		‘Master Pimp’ Pimp’s Rap 59: Doing what you wanna, sleeping late, dressing and resing, styling and profiling.