The Army of Austria-Hungary is made up of so many different races and peoples each of whom have preserved something of their original national dress or uniform in their modern dress uniforms that the varieties in color, design and ornamentation are greater than in any other country.
The field service uniform of all however is nearly the same and is made of light gray cloth.
The officers’ service uniform consists of a single-breasted sack coat with a standing collar, closed by a row of buttons down the front concealed beneath a flap and having shoulder straps, patch pockets with button flaps, one on each breast and one on each side below the waist; breeches of the same color as the coat; leather puttees and shoes; and a cap of gray cloth, cylindrical in shape with a soft top to the crown and side flaps which are folded up around the band and secured by two buttons in front, and having a sloping visor covered with the gray cloth of the cap. This cap, known as a tschapka, is a distinguishing feature of the Austrian uniform.
As variations of the field uniform the Hungarian regiments do not wear leggings but have the trousers tight below the knees; the Alpine troops wear heavy tan colored stockings instead of leggings and the Bosnia troops wear a Turkish fez instead of the gray cap.
The rank of officers is indicated by insignia worn upon each side of the collar. A Field Marshal has gold embroidery on the collar at each side of the neck opening and two wide red stripes down the outer leg seams of the trousers. General officers wear similar gold braid on the collar with the grade of rank indicated by silver stars thereon as follows:—
| General | Three silver stars. |
| Lieutenant General | Two silver stars. |
| Major General | One silver star. |
Field officers have gold or silver braid on the collar according to whether their buttons are of silver or gold. On gold braid they wear silver stars and on silver braid gold stars to indicate the grade of rank, as follows:—
| Colonel | Three stars. |
| Lieutenant Colonel | Two stars. |
| Major | One star. |
Company officers have the collar decorated with cloth on each side of the neck opening, the color being the distinctive color of their arm of the service or regiment. The grade of rank is indicated by stars worn on this colored cloth, the stars being of silver or gold to match the gold or silver buttons worn according to the regiment:
| Captain | Three stars. |
| First Lieutenant | Two stars. |
| Second Lieutenant | One star. |