Soft Colonial Wanderlust is an aesthetic that draws inspiration from Victorian and pre-WW2 eras. It was popular mainly in the early 2010s through the hipster trend, which was at its peak at the time. It overlapped other popular aesthetics at the time such as Geo-Boho and even aesthetics that date back to the late 1980s. Its rise matches follows the 20-years revival cycle of aesthetics, coming right on time 20 years after the Gay Nineties Revival of the 70s.

It differs from other Victorian-inspired aesthetics like Steampunk due to its whimsical and ironic tone and emphasis of expedition and colonization.

Soft Colonial Wanderlust is defined by vintage imagery inspired by the Victorian and pre-WWII eras. Visuals include cut-out 2D figures, engraved illustrations, circus fonts, and muted colors. Motifs are drawn from the Victorian period, which includes mustaches, suits, top hats, typewriters, phonographs, lightbulbs, and technology of the decade that's on the verge of modernity being used today, but not exactly steampunk like rube-goldberg machines.

Exploration is a major theme of the aesthetic since it is influenced by Jules Verne's works, which feature characters going on expeditions to other lands. Many images include maps, hot air balloons, luggage labels, airplanes, trains, compasses, boats, and other form of transportation.

Media are included here primarily based on visuals. They commonly adhere to worldbuilding convention of different genres such as "Gaslight Fantasy", Steampunk or Dieselpunk .