It is narrated from Hisham bin Urwah that he saw his father, when performing masah (wiping) over the leather socks, he would wipe over the upper part of the socks, not the inner side.

Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, asked Ibn Shihab Zuhri, may Allah have mercy on him, about wiping over leather socks—how is it done? So Ibn Shihab, may Allah have mercy on him, placed one of his hands under the sock and the other on top, then passed them both (wiping over the sock).

Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, says that the statement of Ibn Shihab, may Allah have mercy on him, is more beloved to me than all the other statements I have heard on this issue.