According to Herbert Norris, "Tudor Costume and Fashion," p.281 (Dover re-issue 1997) the sleeve follows a style set by Anne of Cleves. "Although this (Anne of Cleves style - gogm) style was not generally adopted by ladies in the few remaining years of Henry VIII's reign, it is to be found in effigies dating the second half of the sixteenth century. The sleves on this portrait are very full, cut leg-of-mutton shape,gathered or pleated into the armhole. They are made of black velvet,widely open at the side from from shoulder to waist, and filled with gold embroidery with aiglettes at intervals. The open space is filled in with black satin, gathered transversely. The wrist frills are of beautiful Spanish work. The close fitting bodice is of black satin, with a yoke of black velvet, all in one with an upstanding collar, line with white satin, worn half openeed and slightly turned back. The collar is the revival of a fashion, of Flemish origin, worn by ladies of Henry VII's reign.

Beginning the Wikipedia article: "Kathryn Howard (between 1520 and 1525 - 13 February 1542), also called Katherine Howard was the fifth wife of Henry VIII of England (1540-1542), and sometimes known by his reference to her as "the rose without a thorn". Her birth date and place of birth is unknown, (occasionally cited as 1521, probably in London). She was the daughter of Lord Edmund Howard, a poor younger son of the 2nd Duke of Norfolk. Catherine married Henry VIII on 28 July 1540, at Oatlands Palace in Surrey, almost immediately after his annulment from Anne of Cleves was arranged. However, Catherine's marital conduct and past sexual history were known to be unchaste, and she was beheaded after less than two years of marriage on the grounds of treason. Arrival at court - Catherine's uncle found her a place at the court of Henry VIII. As a young and attractive lady-in-waiting to Henry's new German wife, Queen Anne of Cleves, Catherine quickly caught the attention of the King, who displayed little interest in Anne from the start. Her relatives privately doubted that the young woman was mature enough to handle the responsibilities of being the King's mistress, as she had just arrived at Court a few months earlier, but other factors were at play. The memory of Anne Boleyn's death for supposed adultery marred the standing of the Norfolks (a family proud of their grand lineage) in Henry VIII's court, and the Catholic family saw Catherine as a figurehead for their mission to restore the Catholic faith to England. As the King's interest in their relative grew, so did their influence. Within months of her arrival at Court, Henry bestowed gifts of land and expensive cloth upon Catherine. Marriage - When Henry had his marriage to Anne annulled on July 9, 1540, rumours swirled that Catherine was pregnant with his child. Their quick marriage just a few weeks after the divorce from Anne, on July 28th, 1540, reflected Henry's lifelong urgency to secure the Tudor succession by begetting healthy sons. Henry, rapidly nearing 50 and expanding in girth, showered his young bride with wealth, jewels and fantastically expensive gifts. War with France and the Reformation had cost Henry the goodwill of his people, and he was then suffering from a number of ailments. The presence of a young and seemingly virtuous Catherine in his life brought him great happiness. Her motto, "Non autre volonte que la sienne" or "No other wish (will) but his", reflects her queenly desire to keep Henry, a man thirty years older than she was, content. However, despite her wealth and power, Catherine found her marital relations unappealing. She was not pregnant upon marriage, and became repulsed by her husband's grotesque body. (He weighed 136kg, or 300 pounds, at the time and had a festering ulcer on his thigh that had to be drained daily.) In early 1541, she embarked upon a light-hearted romance with Henry's favourite male courtier, Thomas Culpepper, whom she initially desired when she came to court two years earlier. Their meetings were arranged by one of Catherine's older ladies-in-waiting, Lady Rochford, the widow of Anne and Mary Boleyn's brother George Boleyn."