@Philweasel
Yes, I remember very early on during the 1st season and a bit during 2nd season there was a lot of hate directed towards her but as episode out of great episode went out on her which developed Rarity’s character with standout performances… I was pretty sure opinion on her changed rather quickly.
I mean sure, you had those who fixated on certain aspects of her character, often exaggerating them, given how characters like Rarity are the ones least liked but she I felt proved quite quickly that she wasn’t the stereotypes. That despite caring about her appearance, fashion, overly dramatic, seemingly shallow, and caring much in how others perceived her, Rarity was still very much a generous and big hearted mare.
Seriously, the idea that everyone hated Rarity seems very much three seasons ago at least. Even then, it was those who were often quick to judge based on initial appearances or had a bias against those like Rarity. Hell, it has often been said in any other show a character like her would often be made an antagonist. Into the stereotypical popular, vain, mean girl who only cared about fashion, shopping, their appearance, and in being popular.
That fact Rarity is very much not these things is what in part drew me towards Rarity. She wasn’t vain and shallow, she wasn’t purposefully mean or caring only of fashion and her appearance. The mare quickly showed herself to be far more than what the stereotypes were.