Oh, how we long for the good old days. The days when Sarah Jessica used her style for good, rather than for Gap. The era when the red carpets signaled an opportunity for SJP and fellow jewelry-loving Sex and the City co-stars to strut their stuff, take some chances, and start new trends.

Critics heralded the Desperate Housewives cast as the next generation of fashion leaders when the show launched shortly after Sex and the City‘s swan song. Understandably so: Here was a show focused on a cast of several 30- and 40-something women. It was a no-brainer opportunity for the stars to enchant fashion insiders and become the next It Girls.

But instead of using the Golden Globes stage to make a splash, they belly-flopped. A week before the awards, even mainstream daily newspapers were crying out to celebrities: “Leave chandeliers on the ceiling, where they belong.” Alas, these Desperate ladies apparently aren’t avid readers, either. Bare of neck, chandeliered of ear, there was nothing new to see here, folks. Their taste in jewels is either rooted firmly in 2002, or they (and their stylists) are afraid to break out of the pack. Either way, their Golden Globes blah made it a sad day in Tinseltown for many a fashionista.