Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (US) to act on stage.

1927

W. Edge Main Stem 84: The Washington Square Players strut their stuff at 8:30.

2. (orig. US black) to act proudly, uninhibitedly; to show off one’s ultra-fashionable clothes.

[1772		Bridges Burlesque Homer (3rd edn) 363: Men that can strut it, and look big, / With store of guts as well as wig].
1921		Ethel Waters ‘There’ll Be Some Changes Made’ 🎵 I’m gonna change my way of living, and that ain’t no bluff / Why I’m thinkin’ about changing the way I’m gonna strut my stuff.
1928		C. McKay Home to Harlem 19: Tha’s some stuff you’re strutting in, boh.
1931		J.T. Farrell ‘Merry Clouters’ in Fellow Countrymen (1937) 399: You must be struttin’ some to-night, Phil.
1934		(con. 1920s) J.T. Farrell Young Manhood in Studs Lonigan (1936) 363: You want to watch the lads strut their stuff, huh, Studs?
1935		(con. late 1920s) L. Hughes Little Ham III ii : Aw, strut it, Boss!
1941		‘Digg Mee’ ‘Observation Post’ in N.Y. Age 26 Apr. 9/7: My pants [are] [t]hirty inches in the knee (heck, that’s good enough for me) and fifteen inches in the cuff (I really struts my stuff).
1947		S. Lewis Kingsblood Royal (2001) 114: Loathing the Sunday-afternoon colored loafers strutting their stuff on Mayo Street.
1953		W. Brown Monkey On My Back (1954) 128: As for Patrick, he needed a claque for his boasting and posturings, an audience before whom he could ‘strut his stuff’.
1965		(con. 1930s) R. Wright Lawd Today 107: Strut your stuff, woman!
1971		B. Moyers Listening to America 172: ‘Yippie Nude-in’ (‘Five thousand stoned Salt Lake freaks will strip and strut their stuff’).
1983		(con. 1970) S. Wright Meditations in Green (1985) 155: ‘I don’t know,’ said Captain Miller to Claypool. ‘This was where you were supposed to strut your stuff.’.
1993		T. Jones Pugilist at Rest 189: If only she could see Barnes strut his stuff one last time.
2000		Hip-Hop Connection Jan. 72: More breakers strut their stuff.
2017		Orlando Sentinel (FL) 27 Apr. G2/3: [W]atch the litle ones strut their stuff in the Itsy Bitsy hat parade.