a while ago i had my msn username in colours. i went to change my status. having done this it appeared next to my user name and the colours were gone. i want to know how to turn off the  status and the colours in my user name will be displayed again. it basically the status  shortned my name and i want my name the original length.

If you change your status from online to another one your nickname is always shortened (unless you take the offline-status). At the moment there's no way of changeing that.
I don't really have an idea about the colors changing too when you change status.

it wasnt there before, from what ive seen, it only shortens your name, where as it didnt doit previously. it never used to show my status next to my user name, only when ipersonalised it.

When you go back online, the colour should be restored.

You can stop Personalised Status shortening your nickname, by unchecking 'Shorten my name when I use a status tag'.