On May 6, everyone was glued to their screens waiting to see what out-of-the-box looks graced the fluffy pink carpet at the 2019 Met Gala. Although many were confused about the theme, "Camp: Notes on Fashion" — including celebs in attendance like Nicki Minaj and Celine Dion, who thought this was one big slumber party — it set out to bring forth the most over-the-top, comical and bazaar looks to date.

Of course the moment everyone anticipated was a look at the dubbed Queen of Met, Rihanna. The world awaited her arrival, although previous reports noted that the singer, fashion icon and business guru was not just keeping us in the dark about her music, but she would also not be at the Met Gala this year. The Twitter-sphere, understandably disappointed, was so in need of even a glimpse, that she trended all night amongst Cardi B., Billy Porter and Katy Perry after a photoshopped image began to circulate. Leaving some with a desire to see even the smallest digit on her body — a toenail.

CAN WE PLEASE JUST SEE A TOENAIL OR A BEAD OF SWEAT @rihanna I WONT ASK FOR NUN ELSE https://t.co/KX0QEzSIl4

— La Bronze James (@jackieaina) May 7, 2019

The 2015 CFDA Style Icon award winner has been known to progressively raise the bar each and every year. At the 2018 Met Gala, “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination" (where she served as a co-chair), she dawned a hand-beaded custom creation complete with a mitre, designed by Maison Margiela creative director John Galliano. It was that moment the world laid eyes on the first female pope and we were thankful that it was Rihanna. Surpassing the expectations for the 2015 Met Gala theme, “China: Through the Looking Glass,” her gold fur-trimmed cape with a billowing train and floral embroidery by designer Guo Pei, called for wide eyes and dropped jaws.The looks over the years from the reigning queen have surely erased the memory that this isn’t the first time the "bad gal" has sat this event out. She also didn’t attend in 2016 when the theme was "Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology." But seemingly, her absence this year called for attendees to pull out all of the stops.

Lady Gaga, who was expected to master camp, did just that. She changed her wardrobe four times, unveiling each layer of her look down to lingerie. Cardi B wowed the crowd as she entered the exhibition with an entourage of sorts to assist her in navigating the steps in a gown by Thom Browne — composed of 30,000 feathers and ruby nipples, according to her stylist Kollin Carter. Other showstopping looks came from Kerby Jean-Raymond and Lena Waithe, who reminded us just who the originators of camp were: Black drag queens. They also encouraged economic empowerment, a topic Jay-Z recently received much backlash for.

While it wasn’t clear if the tone set by Rihanna in previous years was the bar guests were grappling at, it was clear that she kept an eye on the carpet, ultimately crowning Vogue’s editor-in-chief Anna Wintour best dressed — all while trolling fans who complained of her staying at home to play with makeup.

As social media continues to buzz and mourn about the absence of Rihanna’s music and her striking presence at the Met Gala, we must remember that “she loves how y'all tell her what to do”.

Mikeisha Daché Vaughn

Writing since May 2019 · 2 stories contributed