I've had great luck with bedding from Anthropologie, West Elm, and Crate and Barrel.

Sferra! Not cheap though. Mine has gotten better with age.

Be cautious when you look at thread count. It generally means the number of threads per inch. The idea is that the more threads per inch, the finer the threads, and the smoother the sheets. But some manufacturers can twist two threads into one thread, and use that it the weave, and double the thread count. Be especially cautious of anything over 400, as it's almost impossible to get more than that with a single ply yarn. Sheets with high thread counts also tend to wrinkle more easily. The best way to tell if it is a good sheet is to feel it; you should be able to feel the difference between a low quality sheet and a higher quality sheet.

Egyptian cotton is a good way to go, if you're looking into something that will feel smooth for a long time. Egyptian cotton has the longest staples (the fibers that go into making a thread) so it will feel the smoothest, and it is the least likely to pill.

Do not buy any cotton/poly blends, as these will pill and look worn out.

My sheets are actually from Walmart (gasp!). They are 300 thread count, and they have lasted well for 4 years, with no signs of wear. They were about $40.

Also, when looking for sheets, make sure the bottom sheet is big enough to fit over your mattresses. As mattresses have gotten thicker, sheets need to as well.

Lands' End Home has moderately priced, high quality basics - and their size range often include XL Twins.

Interesting about the 2-ply thread!

A related question: 15 yrs ago I bought wonderful 300 tpi sheets that crackled. I love them, but they are getting worn out. New sheets I've bought as replacements are soft, but I really prefer the thicker crackly cotton. Can anyone clue me in on how to find that??

lazy_lurker: I got some pillowcases from IKEA that are not thick, but crispy, and I love them. I'm thinking of getting same kind of sheets. I don't know how they might compare to the crackly ones.

Supima is the American equivalent to Egyptian cotton, or so I was told. (Another luxurious long staple cotton fiber.) I foolishly fell for some 800 thread count sheets, and they are something lazy_lurker might look at -- very crisp, even after three years of washing. They easily wrinkle (I have to press them to smooth them, so I just don't, queen sheets being too unwieldy for that.) I got them at Home Goods, where I have gotten nicer 400 thread count sheets in the past, and might again soon!!

So I look for Supima or Egyptian cotton, 400 thread count, and then I touch them to see what they feel like, although they almost certainly have sizing in them in the store, which washes out, so touch isn't the whole story... And I shop at discount department stores like Home Goods and TJ Maxx, where a set (top, bottom, 2 pillow slips) usually runs somewhere between $30 and $50. I find a lot of these sheets are in sateen stripes for some reason! (I like all white sheets.)

My friend's family manufacturers most of the sheets for department store brands (Hotel, Charter Club) and Target (Thomas O'Brien). They use the Hotel 700 threadcount (Macy's) in all of their homes in India. We love them, too!

I graduated from college in 2009, but nice bedding is my addiction. I buy all my nice stuff from The Company Store, including duvets, duvet covers and pillows (these especially are exceptional) - and once a pillowtop mattress cover. Get on their email list, they have great sale and clearance events and you can find some incredible discounts. The only drawback is that it's only an online store, but their products are so good it's worth it. Having a good duvet is something you'll be grateful for, it'll keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter and hold up under years of use. I've found that I can buy cheaper sheets and pillow cases (around 250-300 threadcount) at Target and wash them 3 or 4 times with quite a bit of fabric softener and dryer sheets and they'll be just as soft as much more expensive sheets and they'll last you a long time. Plus side here is that they're not expensive at all so you can change out the colors when you get tired of them. My most recent duvet cover purchase was a Compy Co Duvet from StopDropandRelax.com and it's incredible. So my suggestions are to spend more on your duvet and your pillows, you can pay less on your sheets and your duvet cover.

Beech sheets are amazingly comfortable and inexpensive.

I'm not sure I'd buy investment-bedding right out of college. You're bedroom decor will change, and you will want your sheets to change too.

I've had very good luck finding sheet sets at Century 21, for under $30. Look for 300-400 thread count sheets, and FEEL them. You might discover over time that you prefer a particular feel to your sheets, which is another reason not to splurge right now.

Wamsutta makes really good sheets. 350/360 thread count is a good one. You really don't need 400, 500, 600, or over that. Ralph Lauren makes good sheets also, I only buy sheets when they are on sale. And I only buy WHITE it goes with everything.

The best sheets ever are from Costco, the kirkland brand, supima cotton. If you like duvet covers, you can sew two flat sheets together or buy other top sheet. They are the softest sheet. Give them a try...I have bought expensive ones and cheap ones and still find those costco ones the best.

Area and Calvin Klein. Not only are the sheets amazing, they get better with time AND the way both companies make their sheets, they fit and stay in place. Great colors as well.

I'm a snob about sheets, and I have to say, Ralph Lauren makes some amazing sheets--Avenue sheets are definitely the way to go if you can find them--AND they hold up remarkably well (I've had some other sheets and pillowcases fall apart after too many washes). You can get a great set for around $40 at TJmaxx or Marshall's, and they usually have a couple extra pairs of pillowcases--buy an extra pair.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned 100% linen sheets. The downside is that after you sleep in your bed, it will have that "rumpled" linen look that you have to be OK with. If you can learn to love that, then they are awesome. We have pure white sheets and duvet cover, and they are still perfectly white after nearly a year of use and they show zero visible signs of wear. Linen doesn't get stained nearly as easily as cotton, so I think they will be perfectly white five years from now. Linen absorbs about 22% its weight in water before feeling wet, so if you are like me (a guy!) and get hot or damp some nights, then this problem will be solved! To clean, I wash the sheets and duvet cover on delicate each week, dry for 10 minutes on low heat (till the sheets are just a bit damp) and then put on our bed. They will be fully dry in a few hours and all the wrinkles will be gone as well. Linen never "pills" and I've heard stories of parents passing on linen bed sheets that they got as an wedding present to their children. Wow, after writing this I just realized what a linen nut I've become...

Mmmmm linen! I've heard but never experienced. Peter R that may be my next splurge.

Years ago I bought a silk blanket at Tuesday Morning. Pricey but I have never regretted it. I wish I could tell you the manufacturer but if you find one, go for it.

i agree with the comment about linen sheets. it seems contrary to the "luxury requires a high thread count" line of thinking, but linen definitely improves with age and is incredibly comfortable.

i also, unexpectedly, have come to love my new microplush sheets. i like to use a fitted sheet that stretches on my Tempu-pedic mattress, so i use the microplush or inexpensive jersey knit (and replace it as needed).

Matouk.

The factory store is in Fall River, MA and I make an annual trek during their February sale for new sheets and towels. They are THE most unbelievably soft sheets your body will ever sleep upon. I am on vacation right now and the Matouks on my bed in Boston are pretty much the only thing I miss... I miss them more than I miss my my boyfriend. No joke.

I HIGHLY, oh-so-highly recommend Matouk sheets. I have slept on Sferra, Serena and Lily, West Elm/PB/C&B, Company Store, CK, Wamsutta, Ralph Lauren, Dwell and Frette. Even John Robshaw fell short but is the closest thing you can get to second place without having a chance of being first. I have slept on or owned all of the aforementioned brands as well as those from BB&B, etc. I am a self-proclaimed bedding snob.

Matouk sheets are the best. Just saying.

Link: http://www.matouk.com/consumer/bed/index.html

The nice thing about bedding is that it is interchangeable! I personally do not invest tons of $$ on one duvet cover or 1 set of luxurious sheets because I LOVE to switch it up and THAT is what's luxurious to me.
You do need 2-3 sheet sets because you should change your sheets about 1x per week (on average.) As for the outer bedclothes, that's the fun part! You may want a light and airy summer comforter and then a warm, soft and darker toned winter comforter (or duvet cover.) You may want a quilt, an extra blanket, a down duvet or a coverlet. There are so many choices. Think about where you live, the seasons etc. Are you a hot or cold sleeper? Do you like lots of pillows and fluff or clean, sleek and simple? It may take some testing with lower end products to really help you decide what type of "luxurious" bedding is best for you.

Amber, I think you are very wise in your approach to bedding. We spend a third of our lives in bed, and so I believe it is very important to have excellent bedding which maximizes your comfort and sleep. And high quality bedding -- duvets and sheeting -- should last a lifetime.

The first thing to do is to find a good duvet, which is actually harder than it seems (at least for me it is!). It is a matter of personal preference, but I like a very deep duvet; I find it less clingy or smothering than something thinner (thick duvets with square baffles make big pockets underneath, which is what I love). I found a perfect one recently which for a 210 cm x 240 cm has 1850 grams of fill; for 200 x 210 it has 1500g. I'd look for a European source for duvets -- for example Dux/Duxiana has nice duvets, or

http://www.czechfeatherdownco.com/index.php

http://www.norvegr.no/index.htm

http://www.stgeneve.com/index.htm

http://www.randburg.com/is/dunogfidur/index.asp

A good duvet is not cheap, but will last you a lifetime; expect to pay $750-$1000 for a really good quality duvet (a 4-season one). The sleep difference between a really good duvet and the ones commonly sold in department and bedding stores in the U.S. is huge, at least in my experience, and so I consider it money well spent.

Traditionally, duvets were covered with fitted covers made of damask, which is a woven fabric, so so quite durable. The best damask duvet covers get softer with each washing, and so only get better over time. They are hard to find in the U.S. though. Linen is another fabric that gets softer and more beautiful with use, and so you may wish to explore that. I like having a different bottom sheet material -- for example, duvet cover and pillow cases in damask or linen, and bottom sheet in thick flannel or cotton jersey.

Personally, I do not like overly "designed" bedding, with loud printed patterns, and so avoid all the designer stuff. The plainer, solid-colour bedding (ideally white) will stand the test of time; designer bedding will look dated, and fast (fresh out of grad school, I bought Espirit bedding -- the duvet was nothing more than 2 sheets sewn together with a zipper -- so not only did it look passé after 3 years, but the fabric started wearing out too).

My favourite linens, by far, are by Matteo Home. While they are extremely expensive, they can be bought during the annual January White Sales; I think ABC Carpet & Home had them marked down (50%?).

I also love Libeco Home linens, which are far more reasonably priced. They have truly beautiful linens.

Otherwise, I would suggest Italian and Swiss linens (just google "Swiss damask bedding" or other similar terms and see what you come up with).

Good luck!

I should add -- most North American-made duvets (not St. Geneve for example!) have the baffles sewn in such a way so as to not maximize the loft of the down, making them flat and not as well-insulating as they should (and can) be. So, the fluffier the better!

I know about crackling sheets and I agree with you. I do not like slippery sheets either. I believe you might find what you want at Penn'ys . I think it was a 300 thread count. I have been feeling sheets to find what I wanted. Read the comments in the pennys site . Someone asks for just such a sheet.

Thanks so much everyone for your answers, I have some really great ideas now!
mschatelaine, thanks for your wonderful, thorough response! While the thought of spending up to a grand on bedding makes my (penniless) head spin, it IS something to think about. Especially, as you said, given the amount of time we spend in bed AND the fact that most of us are willing to drop that much on a fancy computers and other gadgets.

And I agree with you on wanting plain, classic bedding--fluffy, soft whites, beiges, and creams and if I want a punch of color and texture blankets and throw pillows would do the trick.

thanks again!

Another advantage of white bedding is that bleach is an option for killing germs, etc., and removing stains.

I don't think it gets any better than John Robshaw. Hand printed, and so luxurious. They tend to take a little time "wear in", as the block print process can make them a little stiff at first. But the more they are washed the better they look and feel!

We have Garnet Hill sheets that we bought 10 years ago- and are still comfy and pretty.

I have to say I've been the happiest with my Pottery Barn sheets. Back when I was making good money, I invested in two sets of the same sheets (I REEEEALLY loved the print & colors) and I still have them now almost a decade later -- better than ever. I just invested in a duvet cover set and had them monogrammed as well... LOVE THEM. They have awesome sales and promotions once in a while. That's when I get 'em. :) I also only get 400+ thread count sheet sets from Bed Bath & Beyond and the like. Sheets are investments. Think of how much time you spend in bed. You wouldn't go to a quack if you wanted to take care of a serious health concern would ya? ;)

matteo, matteo, matteo.

the interior design firm i work for buys their 'vintage linen' sheets for clients and i have always rabidly coveted them. they are expensive but linen sheets last forever and only get softer and better with age. matteo's 'vintage' line has a very simple hem, basic neutral colors and it's doubtful you'll ever get sick of them because linen sheets are just so timeless. abc home in NYC sells them, or you can buy directly off of their website.

Garnet Hill is fabulous. Luxurious options that last for years and years- and if they don't they have a very generous return policy! Go for it!

Home Goods and TJ Maxx have SO many options, and they change all the time... from European luxury brands to Calvin Klein and DKNY to Natori... you can always find something awesome there for about half (or less) than the retail price.

I am with Rachel- if you hunt at home goods, TJMax, Ross or Mashall's you can find Calvin Klein DKNY ect. I just bought some georgous 400 thread count Amy Butler sheets there! They seem to run low on duvet covers, but I have purchased quite a few for my brothers over the years from Ross that have performed well for single guys! (not to mention looked WAY better than what they would have put on the bed! I am also a big fan of Macy's seasonal clearance sales. Been known to obsessively watch Macy's online and off to see how cheap I can get new bed linens!

All good comments, but lets not forget the discount retail stores for bedding. Marshalls, TjMaxx and Homegoods will have great options at a really affordable price. Bed, Bath and Beyond will offer a great sale or clearance from time to time on organic cotton bedding for prices you can't find anywhere. If you stay between the between 300-400 thread count you will have a good experience (no pilling, not many wrinkles, washes and dries really well) and sateen sheets are a great option too. Macy's also has a great white sale that will afford you more for your dollar too. Anthropology has beautiful things, but its not affordable... unless you find it on Ebay or Craigs List.

We recently bought some Danny Seo Satteen sheets. They are amazing. I love how satteen stays cool at night.