You probably have a pretty clear idea of what a 1950s family looks like: poodle skirts and saddle shoes, drive-ins, diners, and sock hops. Elvis ruled the radio, and on TV, it was all about Father Knows Best and Leave it to Beaver.

But decades after the ‘50s have come and gone, pop culture and good old fashioned nostalgia for simpler times have left us with many misconceptions about this so-called golden era. It wasn’t all nuclear families with white picket fences and questionable recipes.

In this latest episode of Misconceptions, we unfold myths about the 1950s like a good old jell-o salad.

Subscribe to Mental Floss on YouTube for new videos every week.

This article was originally published on www.mentalfloss.com as 10 Misconceptions About the 1950s.