I'm loving this topic

[MaggieFS]

I've only just found pedant's corner and I know I'll feel at home. First question from me is: when did it become acceptable to say "I'm loving xxxx". I don't particularly like it, and am sure it was never used when I was at school 20 years ago, but I'm also not sure if it's technically incorrect? I've heard it on Radio 4 which is always my benchmark, but I was disappointed to hear it used.
(Please note I'm far from perfect but inquisitive and always keen to learn and improve, hope I'm welcome as a pedant)

Why are you disappointed to hear it?

Even if it is a recent development (and so often with these things what we think is new actually turns out to go back decades or to have been popular in the 18th century etc. - this phenomenon even has a name: "recency illusion"), why does that matter?

It seems perfectly grammatical, but I can't quite put my finger on how "I'm loving your dress" conveys something different from "I love your dress". Maybe it's a bit more immediate, identifying a strong, spontaneous reaction rather than a more measured appreciation? Maybe it's just a signal to the "in-crowd" that the speaker is an arbiter of taste?

By the way, welcome to Pedants' Corner!

If you want to a moan or rant about some language usage, you'll find sympathy here. You'll also find some knowledgeable people who enjoy discussing all the finer points of grammar, meaning, style, etymology.

It's not always pedantry about language. I once had a moan about pie charts, which got lively for a bit!