She must still be mourning for Matthew: Michelle Dockery wears little black dress to the Downton Abbey Childline Ball

PUBLISHED: 20:27, 24 October 2013 | UPDATED: 21:26, 24 October 2013

She is frequently seen in dowdy clothes for her role on smash-hit TV series Downton Abbey.

But Michelle Dockery looked thoroughly modern and demure as she appeared at the Childline Ball in London's Savoy Hotel on Thursday evening.

Joined by a host of co-stars including Samantha Bond and Jim Carter, the 31-year-old star showed off her enviable figure in a simple black dress, which featured a lace embellishment around the chest.

Black beauty: Michelle arrives at the Savoy Theatre in central London for the Childine Ball

She teamed the look with black slingback shoes and a flash of understated make-up for the charity fundraiser, which gives youngsters an emergency helpline in times of crisis.

She wore her bobbed brunette hair sleek and straight while she wore hot red lipstick to bring a touch of colour to her porcelain skin.

The actress, who plays Lady Mary in ITV drama Downton Abbey, has recently revealed that she enjoys certain aspects of traditional femininity in the drama.

Belle of the ball: Michelle kept it simple for her evening of fun with her ITV co-stars

English rose: The Essex-born actress has classic features which she showed to perfection at the fundraiser

Formal event: Michelle was joined by the Downton cast at the charity event

Vintage-style: MyAnna Buring arrives in a floral dress and tassel earring

She told the Sunday Times: ‘I do feel nostalgic about that kind of femininity. There is nothing gratuitous about it. You never see any flesh. But then I’ve never been to sort of girl who shows off my curves.’

She also said that the TV role has also changed her habits off-screen.

The name's Bond: Samantha Bond attends The Downton Abbey Childline ball in a sparkling black gown

Founder: Childline founder Esther Rantzen and Jim carter, who plays Charles Carson in the show

That's not Lady Elizabeth! Hugh Bonneville brings wife Lulu Williams to the black tie event

She added: ‘Someone noticed early on that Laura [Carmichael, who plays Lady Edith] and I sat with our hands clasped when we weren’t eating whereas others were sitting like this,’ she said demonstrating with elbows on the table.

‘So maybe something has rubbed off.’

The actress is starring in the fourth series of Downton, with her character Lady Mary grieving her husband Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens) who died in a car accident in the third series of the show.

Rob James-Collier and Allen Leech sport the same tuxedo look, while Esther Rantzen wears white feathers

She recently told the Telegraph that Lady Mary may be set for a new romance. She said: ‘There are suitors who come along but you'll just have to wait and see what happens.’

Michelle has also recently finished a film, Non-Stop, with Liam Neeson and Julianne Moore.