Macaroni was the term that came to be used to describe a military officers designation of rank and honors - thinking gold braid, ribbons, stars, bars, that sort of thing. I don’t know if they used it that way back pre-revolution.
It was originally the young men from England who studied art, literature etc in France and came home wearing the brocades and lace of the French court. A large “feather in cap” signaled they were accomplished
It predates the revolutionary war in England