I've been invited to a black-tie affair next month, and I'm really struggling with what to do about my tux. Should I rent or should I buy?

I know what the experts say: if you wear a tuxedo less than once a year, you should suck it up and rent. And, indeed, I probably wear a tux less than once a year, but the last time I rented one, it cost about $150.

Surprisingly, it doesn't cost a whole lot more to buy a basic tuxedo. While I don't typically buy formal wear on price alone, it does seem absurd to drop a ton of money on something I'll wear a handful of times before it goes out of style or no longer fits me. As one friend told me, "Buying a tuxedo means that you're committing to your body shape and size for the life of that garment."

But I only need to wear a $300 tuxedo twice to break even, right? A $450 tuxedo pays for itself in three wears. And so on, though dropping more dough on something I don't even want in the first place is clearly insane.

On the other hand, renting a tux is just throwing money away.

I don't know about you, but I treat rented suits like the garment equivalent of rented cars: peeling out, catching air when possible, and slamming on the brakes when not even necessary. I tend to return tuxedos as a sweaty, crumpled mess, and I feel sorry for whoever gets it next.

I also understand that any suit will go out of style in less than 10 years, perhaps much less if you pick something über stylish, but the anachronistic nature of the tuxedo dictates that if you go with a classic style, it should last a while. Right?

Honestly, I'm not a big fan of the whole tuxedo concept, in general. Whenever I see someone in a black tie, I expect him to be taking my movie ticket, performing magic or playing a cello. I tend to feel like a pretentious clown when I'm wearing one, and even at my own wedding, the groomsmen and myself wore black suits (with matching ties, to class things up a bit).

Still, I'm inclined to think that I'll attend slightly more formal events as I get older, and wearing rented clothes grosses me out a little.

So what would you do? "Splurge" on a modestly-priced, traditionally-styled tux or cheap out on a one-off rental? I need some professional and amateur advice. Please help by posting a Talkback below.