* AlternateAesopInterpretation:
** One could see the lesson of this episode as "[[ExecutiveMeddling Don't interfere in an artist's creative process]]." It fits nicely with the TakeThat on the main recap page.
** Others see it as an allegory for unpleasable fanbases.
* EnsembleDarkhorse: [=DJ-P0N3=]/Vinyl Scratch, the DJ unicorn, makes her first appearance here. She's on screen for only a [[OneSceneWonder few seconds and does nothing but turn on the music and bob her head to it]], but she garnered enough of a fanbase to play larger roles in later episodes (and in ''Equestria Girls'').
* FansPreferTheNewHer: A few fans find that Rainbow Dash's bad dress doesn't look as bad as the rest, and is actually quite cool (albeit inappropriate for the occasion).
* GeniusBonus: Rainbow Dash's first costume includes a gold crown of laurel leaves. In UsefulNotes/AncientGreece, where the myth of the Pegasus came from, laurel wreaths were given to athletic champions. {{Foreshadowing}}: She DID win the "Best Young Flyers" competition [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E16SonicRainboom two episodes later]]. So by the time she ''does'' wear the dress for its original purpose, she's ''earned'' her laurels.
* HarsherInHindsight: Rarity worrying about her career being ruined comes to fruition in Season 7's "Fame & Misfortune" when all of Ponyville boycotts her and she suffers SanitySlippage.
* HilariousInHindsight:
** The lyrics that Rainbow Dash "won't look like [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E7MaytheBestPetWin a tank]]" and Fluttershy's dress should be [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS4E16ItAintEasyBeingBreezies "something breezy."]] M. A. Larson picked up on this as well and went full TrollingCreator with it, cracking that the lyrics for the song are deliberately meant to foreshadow more future episodes.
** During Rarity's meltdown, Pinkie Pie says that she'll become a crazy cat lady. Come Season 4, and [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS4E9PinkieApplePie Pinkie turns out to have one in her family.]]
* MemeticMutation: It needs to be about [[TwentyPercentMoreAwesome 20% cooler]]...
** Not as commonly used as the above, but there is Rainbow Dash's love of fun things.
** Even Rarity does [[http://mlp.wikia.com/wiki/File:Rarity_close_up_S1E14.png the duckface!]]
** Though it's by no means her only one and she has many more smaller moments of drama, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJD9XTaAeSY Rarity's breakdown]] is legendary.
** [[https://derpicdn.net/img/view/2015/3/31/861780__safe_screencap_applejack_fluttershy_pinkie+pie_rainbow+dash_twilight+sparkle_suited+for+success.png This image]] of the ponies waiting for their dresses has been memed into them [[https://mlpforums.com/uploads/post_images/img-885504-3-tumblr_low667l4jG1qha245o1_500.png asking for hugs]].
* {{Narm}}: Rarity's entire "I'M SO PATHETIC!" rant. It's [[PlayedForDrama not really supposed to be funny]], given that she says it after her first fashion show -- and apparently her career -- has just gone down in flames, but Tabitha St. Germain's delivery makes it downright hilarious.
* NeverLiveItDown: Would you believe this is the ''only'' time the "20% cooler" line appears in the show? It was finally referenced again four years later in ''[[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsRainbowRocks Rainbow Rocks]]'', though as "20% less cool," and by the human Rainbow Dash.
* RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap: Fans who started watching the series from the beginning saw this episode as Rarity's transition into a well-written character with HiddenDepths. Those who didn't like Rarity at first saw her as TheLoad of the Mane Six and a RichBitch whose selfishness often got the better of her. This episode proved she was willing to make sacrifices to keep her friends happy no matter the cost. It also allowed fans to sympathize with her after the Mane Six took advantage of her generosity.
* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: Rarity sort of brought the situation onto herself by insisting that she make her friends new dresses and shooting down Twilight when she says no. Even when her friends weren’t all that satisfied with their first dresses, they seemed alright to take them as they are rather than let Rarity redo them, but again, Rarity insisted.
* {{Wangst}}: PlayedForLaughs with Rarity after her fashion show ended in disaster.
* TheWoobie: Rarity is stressed out, overworked, and finally breaks down. Making it worse is that she was doing all of this for free and for her friends. This has the benefit of proving her generosity.
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