Possible Clues:

• With one's head held high
• Showing arrogance, paid sportsman perhaps duly sacked
• In a self-satisfied way, maybe
• With dignity
• With feelings of self-respect and self-worth
• With high self-regard
• With haughtiness
• How a peacock struts?
• All done in vain
• 'What so ___ we hailed ...'