For someone like me, who could easily bury themselves under a pile of quilts, duvets, and pillows, it’s hard to imagine a bed with just the bare essentials. My husband, on the other hand, seems immune to the cold, which results in our bed consisting only of a fitted sheet, top sheet, a single pillow each, and a light quilt. If this sounds like your bedding arrangement too, then we might just be out of touch with the current trend: many are skipping the top sheet altogether. Let’s dive into the why.

The humble top sheet originally had a hygienic purpose. It served as a barrier between our bodies and heavier bed covers like duvets, quilts, and comforters. This meant that while the sheets and pillowcases required frequent laundering, the heavier, bulkier items did not. Suzanne Pollak, founder of the Charleston Academy of Domestic Pursuits, states, “A proper bed requires a bottom sheet, a top sheet, a blanket, and then another top sheet as a coverlet. That’s the traditional setup.”