>50’s to the 80’w as being more “real”

Yea, people really are out of touch with what was going on around them. Naugahyde, for example was invented in 1914. Fake wood on cars started in the 1940s! It is very likely people remembering the 'real' stuff were quite often talking about objects that were far older.

1861, mauvine: all sorts of women wear a startling shade of synthetic purple. 1862, now it's Parkesine: the new fad is shiny plastic-coated boots.